Yesterday afternoon, a strong tornado hit Cimanggung District in West Java Province, Indonesia. leaves a trail of destruction behind. Videos of the natural phenomenon went viral, showing the devastation caused by the tornado.
According to preliminary reports from local media, the tornado, which was caused by a violent storm accompanied by heavy rain, caused severe property damage and injured at least 22 people.
Serem banget, kebayang sih panicnya kaya apa berhadapan langsung sama tornado pertama di Indonesia… pic.twitter.com/70kyfYgCIA
– Dok Jeff (@JKertawinata) February 22, 2024
Videos shared on social networks show how The tornado destroyed fields, downed large trees, damaged buildings, and overturned vehicles. with its devastating gusts of wind. West Java, one of Indonesia’s largest and most populous islands, has suffered severe damage from this extremely serious phenomenon.
In response to the emergency, the Indonesian government deployed emergency response teams to provide assistance to the affected population and assess the damage caused by the tornado. Despite the magnitude of the tragedy, no fatalities have been reported so far.
This is expected The adverse weather conditions will continue in the coming days due to the storm that hit Java. Authorities urge the public to inform themselves and follow safety instructions to prevent life-threatening incidents.
Whoa!!
A huge one #twister Blow #RancaekekWest Java in Indonesia this afternoon
I’ve put together 4 video clips – thanks to the people who recorded them pic.twitter.com/u25ICPrf4S
– Volcanic (@volcaholic1) February 21, 2024
This event is not an isolated incident as Indonesia has experienced tornadoes before. In December 2023, another tornado caused severe damage in several areas of the country including Batubantar, Cimanuk and Pandeglang.
This new natural disaster highlights the region’s vulnerability to extreme weather phenomena.
What causes tornadoes?
A tornado is a extremely violent weather phenomenon This is characterized by a rotating column of air descending from a thundercloud to the Earth’s surface.
It occurs when certain atmospheric conditions, such as sudden changes in temperature and humidity, as well as the presence of winds from different directions and altitudes, come together to create an environment that is conducive to the formation of supercellular storms.
In these storms, The interaction between updrafts and downdrafts of air can create horizontal rotation. When this rotation is caught by a stronger updraft, it tilts vertically and forms a funnel at the base of the cloud, which becomes a tornado upon contact with the ground.
ORP