KOTA BARU: In just 10 minutes, unusual gale-force winds whipped through the small town of Ketereh near here, tore off roof tiles, shattered windows and damaged 13 houses in Taman Binjai Manis. 

Tiles flew off roofs like missiles but no one was hurt in the 1.30pm incident on Saturday. 

“This is the second time such unusual winds have blown here. It happened once last year, too,” said Rosli Saleh, 51, a resident for the past 20 years. 

Damage was estimated at about RM10,000 and Ariffin Said, a personal representative of Ketereh MP Datuk Md Alwi Che Ahmad, said aid would be given to the affected families. 

Blown off: Some of the roof tiles of one of the 13 houses missing after the unusually strong winds at Taman Binjai Manis in Ketereh near Kota Baru on Saturday.

He said developers needed to build sounder structures in the area, as a strong wind pattern had emerged and was affecting some buildings