KUCHING – Several properties in Kuching were damaged by strong winds and a freak storm on Thursday, 27 August 2026, with the roof of a house belonging to the late mother of Sarawak Deputy Premier Dr Sim Kui Hian among those affected.
Dr Sim said the roof of the house was blown off during the storm but confirmed that members of the family were safe. He said he was in Bintulu when the incident occurred.
In a statement shared after the incident, Dr Sim thanked members of the public who contacted the family through WhatsApp after learning about the damage to the property.
“We are very blessed and thankful that everyone is safe at home,” he said.
Dr Sim said several other houses in the surrounding area were also affected by the storm. The Spring Shopping Mall was among properties he said had been impacted.
He added that several locations across Kuching experienced the effects of the storm on the same day, pointing to the wider impact of the severe weather.
The incident comes amid concerns over damage caused by increasingly intense weather events in the city. Dr Sim said he believed such incidents of freak storms were becoming more frequent in Kuching.
He also linked the damage to the broader issue of climate change, saying its effects were increasingly being felt through damage to property in Sarawak.
“Climate change is NOT only real but causing tremendous damages to properties in Sarawak even though Sarawak is ‘net zero’,” he said.
The remarks highlight the potential impact of severe weather on homes, commercial properties and other infrastructure, although the full extent of the damage from Thursday’s storm had not been stated.
Dr Sim also expressed appreciation to the agencies that responded to reports of damage following the storm.
He specifically thanked the Angkatan Pertahanan Awam Malaysia (APM), Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (Bomba), SESCO and other agencies for providing assistance.
The response involved efforts to address immediate needs following the damage, with agencies attending to affected areas and providing assistance to those dealing with the aftermath of the storm.
The incident also prompted renewed attention to the effects of extreme weather in Kuching, where strong winds and storms can pose risks to buildings and other property.
A complete assessment of damage caused by the storm was not provided in Dr Sim’s statement. It was also not immediately clear how many homes or other premises were affected across Kuching.
For the affected family, the immediate priority was the safety of those at home, with Dr Sim expressing gratitude that no family members were harmed despite the roof being blown off.
The incident serves as a reminder of the disruption that sudden severe weather can cause to households and businesses, while the response from emergency and utility agencies provided assistance to affected residents.
Dr Sim’s comments were made in the aftermath of the storm as reports of damage emerged from several parts of Kuching.
