19-9-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) A serene day of sightseeing in Penang turned tragic when two Chinese tourists, a father and daughter, lost their lives after a tree uprooted and crashed onto their vehicle. The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon near the popular Pinang Peranakan Mansion in George Town, sending shockwaves through the local community and raising questions about public safety in the area.
Eyewitnesses report that the pair had just concluded their visit to the historic mansion when disaster struck at approximately 2:15 pm. The woman, believed to be in her 30s, occupied the front passenger seat, while her father, in his 50s, sat in the rear. Their local driver managed to escape unharmed moments before the massive tree toppled onto the vehicle.
Mohammad Syafiq Noor Azman, spokesperson for the Penang fire and rescue department, confirmed the ages of the deceased and noted that the falling tree also caused damage to nearby buildings. The tragedy unfolded amidst strong winds and inclement weather, which had been battering the region for days.
A chilling video of the incident, which has since gone viral, captures the final moments before the catastrophe. The footage shows the woman taking a photograph of the mansion before entering the car. As the vehicle waited to exit the compound, giving way to an incoming car at the narrow gate, the tree’s branches can be seen swaying ominously in the powerful gusts.
Rescue efforts were hampered by heavy rainfall and the confined space at the accident site, with emergency services taking approximately three hours to extricate the victims’ bodies from the wreckage. “The rescue was made more complicated by the heavy rain and limited space at the site of the incident,” Mr Syafiq explained to local media.
In a cruel twist of fate, earlier that very day, Rajendran Anthony, mayor of Penang Island City Council, had announced plans to remove 54 trees across the island that were deemed at risk of falling during severe weather. This operation, scheduled to commence next week and conclude by mid-October, comes too late for the unfortunate tourists.
The tragedy occurs against a backdrop of widespread storm damage across Penang. Just a day prior, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow had reported scenes of destruction throughout the state, with hundreds of trees felled in over 130 locations since the onset of the stormy weather two days earlier. He had urged both tourists and residents to exercise caution while travelling until weather conditions improved.
