Tornado sweeps through East Java, killing one and displacing thousands, Indonesia

A tornado struck three different villages in Batu City, East Java in Indonesia on the night of October 19, 2019, displacing at least 1 270 people. One person was killed, while a number of other locals were injured.

The three affected villages were Sumber Brantas, Gunungsari, and Sumbergondo. 20 houses were reportedly ravaged by the twister, while public facilities including telecommunication and electricity networks also sustained damages.

Trees were also torn, blocking roads to the ravaged areas. A resident of Jurang Kuali hamlet in Sumber Brantas village died after being hit by a knocked down tree.

Authorities rapidly fled to the affected area for assessment and evacuate the residents to shelters. Basic humanitarian assistance has also been provided.

More than 1 200 residents took refuge in five sites, including the mayor's residence and the Batu Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) compound.

"We have to evacuate the residents for their own safety," PBD official Achmad Choirur Rochim said.

Rochim added that strong winds were still felt in the villages during the evacuation process.

Police and military officers have been deployed to the affected villages to look after vacant houses.

Featured image: Tornado hits East Java, Indonesia on October 19, 2019. Credit: unknown