The Regional Disaster Management Agency Records 131 Houses Damaged By Tornado In Garut

Residential conditions of residents' houses that were hit by a tornado in Garut City District, Sunday (3/4/2022). (AMONG)

GARUT - A total of 131 houses were damaged by a tornado in the urban area of Garut, Sunday, April 3. The figure was obtained from data from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Garut Regency.

"In all, there were 131 houses that were damaged, they were in urban areas in seven RWs in Ciwalen Village," said Head of the Garut Regency BPBD Satria Budi in Garut, Monday, March 4, quoted from Antara.

He said the level of damage to houses due to the tornado that hit the District of Garut Kota was different, most of the damage was minor, such as some tiles that were detached and the roof was damaged.

In addition, he said, there were two houses whose roofs collapsed because the structure of the building was old so it could not withstand the critical load during heavy rains and strong winds.

"There were two houses that were heavily damaged because their houses were old due to precarious loads or the structure of the building was not strong enough and eventually collapsed," he added.

He conveyed that the incident did not cause any casualties when the incident residents tried to save themselves to a safer place from the brunt of the strong winds.

Residents whose houses were damaged, he said, carried out self-evacuation by staying at the homes of relatives and neighbors while waiting for the roof repairs and roof tiles to be installed in mutual cooperation.

"There were those who evacuated independently, staying at their neighbors' houses, but not for long, the night was over, covering the roof with tarpaulin, or with the remaining tiles," he said.

The BPBD of Garut, he said, has coordinated with the Garut Regency Spatial and Settlement Service for roof repairs or the procurement of tiles needed by the community.

Meanwhile, heavily damaged houses, he said, have been included in the regional government's plan to repair uninhabitable houses (rutilahu) in the 2022 budget year.

"If the two houses get rutilahu, now they are waiting for rutilahu assistance," he said.

Previously, a tornado hit Garut Regency on Saturday (April 2), then Sunday (April 3) it happened again and hit the urban area of Garut.

In addition to damaging people's homes, the wind has damaged a number of billboards or billboards installed in the Garut shopping center area.