Tornadoes In Indonesia Leave 7 People Dead, 51 Injured, Over 1,000 Houses Damaged

JAKARTA, Jan 27 (Bernama) -- The tornadoes and strong winds that hit several areas in Java and Bali on Wednesday, have left seven people dead, 51 injured and more than 1,000 houses damaged. The dead victims comprise three who were crushed by falling trees in Purbalingga, one each in South Jakarta and Wonosobo, and two in Bali. The country's National Disaster Management Body (BNPB) recorded 22 districts and towns being hit by tornadoes yesterday, namely South Jakarta, Seribu islands, Bekasi, Sukabumi, Indramayu, Magelang, Semarang, Sleman, Wonosobo, Purbalingga, Banjarnegara, Ponorogo, Ngawi, Magetan, Situbondo, Kediri, Blitar, Malang, Bangkalan, Sumenep, and Bali. In Seribu islands, 499 houses were damaged by a tornado. The BNPB said Wednesday's tornadoes and strong winds were triggered by tropical cyclone Iggy which formed on the Indian Ocean, south of Bali and Nusa Tenggara. According to the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics, tropical cyclome Iggy brought about winds with a speed of over 36pkh and turbulent sea waves of four to six metres high in several Indonesian waters. -- BERNAMA