137 Homes in Malang Damaged by Tornado

MALANG, KOMPAS - More than 100 houses in Sumbersekar Village, Dau District, Malang Regency, East Java, were moderately to severely damaged due to a tornado that struck on Sunday (2/11/2025) afternoon. As of Monday (3/11), residents were still repairing the torn roofs of their homes.

The areas affected by the wind include RT 01 and 02, RW 02, Dusun Krajan, and RT 01-05, RW 06, Dusun Semanding. Data from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Malang Regency, as of 12:35 PM WIB, indicates that the number of damaged houses has reached 137 units, consisting of 7 units severely damaged, 35 moderately damaged, and 95 lightly damaged. Light damage has also affected community security posts and places of worship.

Residents witnessed a swirling mass of black clouds that then transformed into a whirlwind, which ultimately tore off the roofs of houses, most of which were made of zinc and asbestos. Additionally, several supporting walls of the roofs also collapsed. Before the tornado arrived, the weather in the area was partly cloudy.

"The wind was indeed fierce yesterday, causing everything to fly away. Around 2 PM. The rain was not heavy, just a drizzle," said Rohman (62), one of the residents of RT 03 RW 06 Semanding whose house is located on the border with Krajan.

Like the homes of several other residents, the roof of the back side of Rohman's house is also damaged. To eliminate damage to furniture and household items due to rain, Rohman chose to repair the roof independently as soon as possible. He utilized assistance in the form of tarpaulin from the local Disaster Management Agency.

"If in front of me there are dozens of houses affected. Meanwhile, at the back, there are about 30 houses affected. As for the total losses, I cannot calculate because there are many. Fortunately, everyone is safe, and no one was injured," he said.

Didik Murtomo (45), the Deputy Chairman of RT 01 RW 02 Krajan, stated that there are around 20 houses belonging to residents in his area that have been damaged, ranging from moderate to severe. Didik suspects that the total losses amount to hundreds of millions of rupiah. Meanwhile, the temporary assistance received by the survivors consists of tarpaulins for emergency needs.

"Meanwhile, repairs are being carried out independently. Due to the severe damage, some residents have evacuated. Two families have evacuated, while others have chosen to remain in their respective homes," he said.

Amin Anjilin, Head of General Affairs of Sumbersekar Village, stated that the data on building and facility damage is continuously being verified. So far, affected residents are making efforts to repair the damage. Some of them also hope for material assistance for roof repairs.

"The first affected by the wind was actually the Ar Rohmah women's boarding school, then the wind rotated and moved to this area (the western side). The Semanding area, RT 03, suffered the most severe damage. As for the evacuees, there are a total of three families," he stated.

In addition to the damage, the Head of the Emergency and Logistics Division of the Malang Regency BPBD, Sadono Irawan, stated that two residents were injured in the incident. They are Sunarti (47) and Ahmad (51). They received medical treatment and have now returned to their respective homes.

Meanwhile, the search for Rika Yulia Safitri (27) and her child, Aldafistul Rifka Salima (6), who were swept away by the currents of the Glidik River in Ampelgading District on Saturday (1/11) night, has yet to yield results.

The Head of Ampelgading Police Station, Assistant Commissioner Handry Prasetyo, stated that today a search was conducted around Licin Beach using rubber boats by a joint team from Basarnas, the military, the police, volunteers, and fishermen.

According to Handry, weather conditions have become an obstacle in the search efforts. "It has been raining in Lebakharjo since 10:00 AM. The search will resume once the weather is conducive," he stated.

Previously reported, heavy rain caused both individuals, who were on their way, to be swept away by the current of the Glidik River. At that time, along with her husband Teguh Srianto (34), they were riding a motorcycle from Tegalrejo Village to Lebaksari in the Ampelgading District. Unfortunately, while on the bridge, the river's water level overflowed.

They then stopped with the intention of turning around. During the turn, Rika and Aldafisu slipped from Teguh's grasp and were swept away by the river's current. Teguh himself managed to reach the shore. Officers, along with village officials and residents, then conducted a search but only found the victims' motorcycle approximately two kilometers from the location where they were swept away.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Class 1 Juanda Meteorological Station has issued a release regarding the alert for extreme weather in East Java from October 30 to November 5.

The Head of the Class 1 Juanda Meteorological Station, Taufiq Hermawan, stated that some areas in East Java are currently experiencing transitional weather. Meanwhile, others have entered the beginning of the rainy season. It is estimated that in the coming week, there will be an increase in extreme weather that will significantly impact community activities.

"This potential is caused by the ongoing disturbances in the atmospheric waves, such as the Madden-Julian Oscillation and Rossby waves that are currently traversing the East Java region," he stated.

In addition, Taufiq continued, the sea surface temperature around the Madura Strait is still warm, which supports the growth of convective clouds that have the potential to produce rain with moderate to heavy intensity. The Juanda Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) also urged the public and related institutions to remain vigilant against sudden and extreme weather changes. (WER)