Gale destroys 1,100 houses

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar

About 1,100 houses in seven villages in South Sulawesi were destroyed by two days of strong winds, officials and residents said on Tuesday.

No deaths were reported after the incident on Sunday and Monday in the districts of Barru and Taneteriaja in Barru regency, some 100 kilometers north of the provincial capital of Makassar.

Many villagers are refusing to return to their houses, most of which are made of wood planks, for fear of a repeat of the strong winds. Instead, many of the people are sheltering underneath their houses.

"We are afraid to go into the houses in case the winds return to destroy our homes. The winds usually come at night," said a resident of Tompo village, Juniarti.

She said she and other villagers were sleeping when a thunderous sound was heard, as if signaling a rainstorm.

This sound was followed by very strong winds that tore the roof off her house, Juniarti said.

"It happened at about 11 p.m. (on Sunday) when me and my family were asleep," she said.

She and her neighbors quickly fled their homes and sought shelter from the buffeting gale.

The operations head of the Sulawesi and Maluku Meteorology and Geophysical Agency, Ahmad Mujahidin, said the incident was caused by air blowing over the mountains, a phenomenon called angin fo'hn.

The powerful winds developed behind the mountains due to seasonal winds crossing the mountain range, he said.

"Barru regency is located near the mountain range," said Mujahidin.

Besides Barru, he said, several other areas of South Sulawesi such as, Pangkajene Kepulauan, Maros and parts of Makassar, particularly those in the north like Sudiang and Tamalanrea, were also affected by the winds.

Mujahidin said the winds reached about 34 knots, or 60 kilometers per hour during the incident, especially in the northern part of South Sulawesi.

Wind velocity normally averages 10 knots or 11 knots.

Air density also rose from an average of 26 percent to 30 percent to over 50 percent, he said.

Mujahidin predicted the winds would continue for several days, and urged residents, particularly those living near the mountains and in northern South Sulawesi, to remain on the alert.