"Six of the 36 houses had been totally damaged, 14 heavily, and 16 others lightly," he said in Ambon on Sunday.
The wind blowing at a speed of 80 KM per hour also seriously damaged a building, and a church at Elat was heavily damaged.
According to early official data, the material loss caused by the whirlwind had been estimated at Rp1.5 billion.
Kilfy said the regional disaster mitigation agency and the Southeast Maluku social service have established coordination to channel assistance to the disaster location on March 24, 2012.
"The assistance from Southeast Maluku Regent Andreas Rentanubun included six tents for the owners of totally damaged houses, two tons of rice, instant noodle and canned fish," he said.
The Maluku administration has also warned the people about heavy rain coupled with lightning in the Banda Sea, Aru Sea and Arafura Sea.
According to an analysis, the height of the waves in the Aru Sea, Arafura Sea and Tanimbar Islands waters may reach 4 - 6 meters, and in Banda and Seram seas 3 - 4 meters, and in Buru sea 2 - 3 meters.
"Therefore, sea transportation providers need to think of the feasibility of their boats and the safety of their shipments, so that undesired sea disaster could be anticipated earlier," Kilfy Wakano said.
Earlier, Ambon port administrator public relations officer Djoko acknowledged that he has banned inter-insular passenger boats from sailing, as strong wind is blowing at a speed of 40 km per hour, and the waves reached a height of 2 - 6 meters.
"This ban on sailing has been extended since the Ambon BMKG authorities issued a warning on March 13, 2012. The condition is dangerous to sailing - passenger and pioneering boats, ferries, especially traditional boats," Djoko said.
Port masters had already been reminded to obey the early BMKG warning in anticipating a sea disaster.
(Uu.H-NG/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
