ID :
123973
Mon, 05/24/2010 - 23:36
Auther :

S SUMATRANS CAUTIONED AGAINST MORE WHIRLWINDS



Palembang, S Sumatra, May 24 (ANTARA) - South Sumatrans need to remain alert to the possibility of more whirlwinds until early June due to abnormal weather conditions, a local meteorologist said.

Certain areas in South Sumatra province still underwent weather changes because rains were still showering those areas though the dry season had come, Agus Santoso, head of the South Sumatra meteorology and geophysics office's observation unit, said here Monday.

In such a situation, whirlwinds were likely to happen, he said.

In the eastern parts of South Sumatra, rainfall had reached 150 milimeters a month, he said.

On May 20, a whirlwind damaged a number of houses and toppled big trees at Sandar Angin hamlet, Dempo Utara sub-district, Pagaralam district.
Quoting some local residents, Agus Santoso said that the whirlwind hit the hamlet at night after torrential rain and strong winds in the afternoon.

A whirlwind also struck Muara Enim, damaging some houses there, he said.

The impact of weather changes was also felt in other parts of the Indonesian archipelago.

In the East Java district of Gresik, for instance, heavy rains continue to fall.

As a result, floods inundated hundreds of houses in six villages of Balongpanggang sub-district, due to the overflowing of the Lamong River following hours of torrential rains.

The flooded villages were Jombang Delik, Brangkal, Ngampel, Sekar Putih, Wotansari and Dampet, some local residents said.

Torrential rains also showered Bandung city and its surrounding areas last week, causing the Citarum river and some smaller rivers to overflow.

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