GEORGE TOWN — A father and daughter pair from China were killed with a tree fell on the car they were in, outside the Penang Peranakan Mansion in Lebuh Gereja, here, today.
They were crushed in the incident, which occurred around 3pm, just after visiting the museum.
Northeast District police chief Ramlam Ab Hamid confirmed the victims were Chinese tourists, male and female.
“Their bodies have been taken to Hospital Pulau Pinang for post-mortem,” he told Scoop when contacted.
Bernama reported the victims are believed to be in their 50s and 30s who were dead on arrival at the Penang Hospital.
The driver of the car, however was unhurt in the accident.
Damage was caused to two other empty cars parked near the tree, as well as to one wall of the museum.
Deputy chairman of Tourism Malaysia, Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin, said in a Facebook post that he had informed the Chinese consulate in Penang about the tourists’ deaths.
There have been multiple incidents of trees uprooting around the state for the last three days due to strong winds and heavy downpour.
Penang, as well as Kedah and Perlis, are under a Meteorological Department warning for Category 1 strong winds and rough seas until Saturday (September 21).
Earlier today, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) said that there have been 144 cases of trees uprooting reported from last Sunday until yesterday.
In Perak, Bernama reports 17 cases of falling trees as of this afternoon, resulting in several vehicles damaged and two people suffering serious injuries.
One tree on Jalan Kamunting, near Taman Glen View, fell on a Perodua Alza car and a Yamaha Y15 motorcycle, injuring the motorcyclist, a man, and a girl believed to be his daughter.
Both of them were unconscious when emergency services personnel arrived at the scene.
In the car were five women, aged between 16 and 35, two of whom suffered minor injuries while the rest were unhurt.
In Sik, Kedah, there were 32 cases of fallen trees reported following a 10-minute heavy downpour and storm in the district.
Bernama reported district Civil Defence Officer Haisul Aishah Mohd Napiah confirming that no fatalities have been reported so far.
Work to clear roads and uprooted trees was ongoing as at 4pm today.
A Bernama survey around Sik town found several facilities damaged, including a parking area near the Land and District Office, which was struck by uprooted trees and broken branches.
Sabah also saw 23 emergency calls made involving falling trees from 7.14 am to 3.06 pm in several districts, due to strong winds and heavy rains.
The areas involved were Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Tenom, Kuala Penyu, Papar, Sook, Kota Belud, Sipitang, Tuaran, Putatan and Kudat. No casualties were reported.
Western Sabah and Labuan are also under a warning for Category 1 strong winds and rough seas until Saturday — September 18, 2024
