Tornado winds lash Cimahi, 129 houses damaged

The Cimahi City Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) in West Java has reported that 129 homes were damaged by a tornado that swept through the area on Friday afternoon, 6 March. The provisional data from BPBD Cimahi indicates that the damage was spread across three affected areas, with the highest number of damaged properties in Kelurahan Padasuka, Cimahi Tengah district. ‘The provisional data we have shows 129 houses damaged by the tornado across the three affected areas. Field assessments are ongoing,’ said Fitriandy Kurniawan, BPBD Cimahi’s Head of Implementation. According to the BPBD’s preliminary data, the most severe impact was in Kelurahan Padasuka, Cimahi Tengah, where 117 houses sustained damage ranging from light to heavy. In addition to homes, two mosques and one RW office in the area were damaged by the strong winds. ‘Most of the damage is light to moderate; three houses are severely damaged. Officials are still compiling the data,’ he added. The tornado also caused four residents to suffer minor injuries from roofs and other debris. In addition, 12 houses in Kelurahan Cimahi, Cimahi Tengah, were affected by the winds with light damage and no casualties. ‘In Kelurahan Cimahi there are 12 homes with light damage; fortunately there are no casualties,’ he said. Nearby, two trees fell near the government office complex in Cimahi, on Jalan Rd. Hardjakusumah and Jalan Ciawitali. The incident damaged a street vendor’s cart and one vehicle at the scene.