600+ homes damaged, 35 people injured as tornado rips through Sidoarja, Indonesia
A destructive tornado ripped through a densely populated area of East Java province, Indonesia at 08:30 UTC (15:30 WIB) on Wednesday, November 22, 2017, injuring at least 35 people and damaging more than 600 homes. This is the third damaging tornado to hit the country within two weeks and comes after three waterspouts were spotted in waters off the Thousand Islands on October 23, a phenomenon rarely seen in the tropics. Yesterday's event brings the total number of homes damaged by tornadoes in Indonesia within 10 days close to 700.
According to Dwidjo Prawito of Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency told Reuters that the tornado had wind speeds of more than 70 km/h (35 mph) and was on the ground for about 5 minutes, carving a path of destruction in Tambakrejo Village in the Sidoarja regency, south of the country's second-biggest city of Surabaya.
At least 35 people were injured and more than 600 homes damaged, Prawito said.
@e100ss puting beliung di daerah tambak sawah Sidoarjo tadi sore pic.twitter.com/QgSgHMzjCE
— Adrian Hardo (@Adrian_Hardo) November 22, 2017
Ratusan rumah, bangunan dan pohon rusak diterjang angin puting beliung terjang Desa Tambakrejo dan Desa Tambak Sumur Kecamatan Waru Kalanganyar Sedati Kab Sidoarjo pada 22/11/2017, 15:30 WIB. pic.twitter.com/q0Nu6rw1Af
— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_BNPB) November 22, 2017
Angin puting beliung terjang Desa Tambakrejo dan Desa Tambak Sumur Kecamatan Waru Kalanganyar Sedati Kab Sidoarjo pada 22/11/2017, 15:30 WIB. Banyak pohon tumbang dan rumah rusak akibat puting beliung. pic.twitter.com/kgXPcSNptZ
— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_BNPB) November 22, 2017
Inilah dampak Angin puting beliung terjang Desa Tambakrejo dan Desa Tambak Sumur Kecamatan Waru Kalanganyar Sedati Kab Sidoarjo pada 22/11/2017, 15:30 WIB. Fenomena puting beliung terus meningkat seiring meningkatnya perubahan lahan. pic.twitter.com/l8of0cmKCC
— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_BNPB) November 22, 2017
The event comes just 6 days after a powerful tornado swept through parts of Kelapa Dua island, north of Jakarta on November 19, damaging 34 homes, and 10 days after another tornado hit Kelapa Dua region on November 14, damaging 21 homes.
Yesterday's event brings the total number of homes damaged by tornadoes in Indonesia within 10 days close to 700.
This is the third such event to hit the country within two weeks and comes after three waterspouts were spotted in waters off the Thousand Islands on October 23, a phenomenon rarely seen in the tropics, the National Mitigation Agency reported.
The waterspouts were seen near Opak Island, an uninhabited isle situated close to Kaliage Island.
Waterspouts spotted in waters off the Thousand Islands, Indonesia on October 23, 2017. Credit: Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, BNPB
Three waterspouts spotted in waters off the Thousand Islands, Indonesia on October 23, 2017. Credit: Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, BNPB
Featured image: Tornado rips through Tambakrejo Village in the Sidoarja regency, Indonesia on November 22, 2017. Credit: Sutopo Purwo Nugroho / BNPB
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