Hundreds of Houses Destroyed by Tornado in Bangka Belitung

jpnn.com, BANGKA BELITUNG - A tornado has damaged 217 houses in Bencah village, South Bangka regency, Bangka Belitung.

Bangka Belitung Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head Mikron Antariksa said heavy rains accompanied by strong winds had damaged the tops of residents' houses and caused some houses to collapse.

"Today, we're deploying a quick response team to help residents affected by the tornado. We provide tarpaulins, so that residents' valuables won't be damaged if it rains," said Mikron in Pangkalpinang, Wednesday (8/12).

According to him, the tornado occurred not only in Bencah village, South Bangka, but also in East Belitung.

"We have coordinated with local BPBDs, and they have been advised to be on guard and monitor the current weather conditions," he said.

Mikron appealed to the public to be more vigilant and trim down large trees in their yards or neighborhoods.

"The potential for the trees to fall when heavy rains and strong winds hit is quite high. For this reason, people are expected to always be vigilant and not to move when heavy rains fall," he said. (antara/mcr20/jpnn)

This news has been broadcast on JPNN.com with the title: Puting Beliung Merusak 217 Rumah di Bangka Selatan Babel