Sonamu tropical storm disrupts lifestyles

The Sonamu tropical storm which is forecasted to hit the east coast states beginning today has affected the daily lives of those who depend on the sea for a source of income.

One of those affected by the oncoming disaster is offshore marine engineer Vitus Kimsim.

The 50-year-old who works for Cakrawala Oilfield said radio signals at his workplace shows that the sea condition is really rough that he and his colleagues were instructed to stay off the menacing waters.

“We received information that the waves were rising up from seven to 10 meters and as such, we were all transferred to the safety of solid land.

“We will remain here for the next one week and return to the sea once it calms down,” said Vitus who works in the Malaysian-Thailand border sea.

Fishermen are not spared from the agony of losing their sleep or worse their income, in anticipation of the storm.

Mat Yassin Mohamed, 51, a fisherman from Terengganu, said it has been three days since he set foot in the Dungun sea area to fish.

“The last I went there was on Saturday during which the sea was really choppy. Usually, we will fish deep into the sea, sometimes even until the oil rigs.

“However, because of the storm warning, we prefer to stay near the land because in case a disaster happens, we will be reaching land swiftly,” he said.

Mat Yassin said because of the frequency of warning over the mass media over the past three days, he decided to stay home.

“I will wait until Friday. If all is well, I will return to the sea afterwards,” he said.

Meanwhile Daud Yusof from Tumpat Kelantan said until yesterday he was out fishing despite the warning.

“I am scared of the oncoming disaster but I also depend on fishing to make a living. The sea condition here was not very bad. Only small waves occur from time to time.

“So, I assume it is pretty safe to go fishing at the moment. However, today I haven’t stepped foot into the sea yet. I will be watching the television for updates on the storm before deciding to go fishing,” he said.