Dozens Of Houses In Babakancaringin Cianjur Were Damaged By Puting Beliung

The chicken coop building in Babakancaringin Village, Karangtengah District, Cianjur Regency, West Java, collapsed in a tornado, Tuesday (23/10/2023). (ANTARA/Ahmad Fikri). (Ahmad Fikri)

CIANJUR - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Cianjur Regency, West Java, noted 24 houses were damaged and a number of chicken coops collapsed in Babakan Caringin Village, Karang Tengah District, due to a tornado.

Head of BPBD Cianjur Regency Asep Sukma Wijaya said a tornado that hit most of the residents' houses came suddenly when heavy rain accompanied by strong winds on Tuesday (23/10).

"We immediately sent officers to the scene to collect data. As of Wednesday morning, 24 units of houses were damaged by a tornado and four farms collapsed. There were no casualties, but material losses were estimated at more than Rp. 100 million," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, October 25.

BPBD Cianjur officers and a joint team consisting of the TNI/Polri, volunteers, and residents whose houses were damaged in cooperation repairing damaged houses, mostly on the roof being swept away by a tornado, and eliminating collapsed livestock building materials.

His party is targeting the repair of residents' houses that were completely damaged in the next two days, so that residents can return to their homes safely and comfortably without leaking, because since the last few days it has started to rain evenly with high intensity in Cianjur.

"Our hope is that at the latest Thursday, the house repairs have been completed because it's a pity that if it rains again their houses will be flooded with rain. It is recorded that only three families fled because their roofs were heavily damaged," he said.

Karang Tengah sub-district head Djoko Purnomo said that due to the tornado, three chicken coops collapsed and dozens of houses in three villages were reported damaged on the roof, such as in Nanggela, Ciwalen, and Sasak villages, as well as three families fled to relatives' homes.

"For collapsed chicken coops, the owner will repair them again, while the houses that were lightly and moderately damaged from Tuesday night to Wednesday afternoon have been repaired in mutual cooperation. Only three families have fled because the roof of the house was heavily damaged," he said.

Along with the high rainfall since the last three days, his party has asked residents to remain alert and vigilant. "The Karang Tengah area is prone to tornadoes throughout 2023. There have been more than 15 tornadoes that have hit residents' villages, so residents in all sub-districts are asked to be alert and vigilant," he said.