Hailstones hit parts of Kuching and Kota Samarahan

KUCHING: Hailstones hit parts of Kuching and Kota Samarahan on Sunday afternoon (Aug 12), giving city folk a shock.

The incident happened close to 5pm and lasted about 10 to 15 minutes, followed by heavy rain.

It spread quickly on social media as people shared photos and videos of the hailstones, some of which were as big as golf balls.

Alexius Barieng, who lives in the Stutong area, said he was driving home from the gym when the first hailstone hit the roof of his car as he was approaching his house.

."I didn't realise they were hailstones at first until I saw clearly more of them landing on the road.

"Luckily for me the hailstones rained down heavily only when I had safely reached the car porch.

"The hailstones were mostly marble-sized. The biggest one I saw, which landed in my backyard, was as big as a golf ball," he said.

Jessie Isabelle said she heard a strange noise which sounded like someone throwing stones or metal objects on the roof of her house in Tabuan Tranquillity.

"I was scared and curious so I looked out the window, and then saw ice dropping from the sky," she said. - Star