Heavy rain destroys houses

PURBALINGGA, C. Java: Heavy rain and torrential winds destroyed Friday 18 houses in Karangambas village, Padamara subdistrict, Antara reported Saturday.

No casualties were reported.

An official at the regency's natural disaster management unit estimated that millions of rupiah of losses had been incurred in the storm.

"We were very happy when the rain first came (after severe drought over the last five months), but we were later horrified when we saw our houses being torn down one by one by the strong winds," one resident was quoted as saying. (aan)