JAKARTA (THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – A tornado swept through an Indonesian village in Cirebon in West Java province on Sunday (Dec 31), killing one person and causing widespread destruction.

The powerful winds have reportedly damaged 165 houses in the area.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on his Twitter account that “the puting beliung” (tornado), which took place at around 3.30pm local time, had caused blackouts in most parts of the area.

The tornado also caused considerable damage to two Muslim prayer rooms.

Dr Sutopo showed a video of the tornado and two other videos showing the damage done to the Desa Pangurugan Kulon village.

Before the tornado hit the village on Sunday afternoon, the weather was reported to have been cloudy.

Electricity authorities have continued to work to repair power grids damaged by the tornado.

West Java province is located next to Banten province on the main island of Java. Banten and a neighbouring province on Sumatra island were recently hit by a tsunami caused by the partial collapse of Anak Krakatau volcano that caused giant waves to hit ashore, killing more than 430 people.

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