Currently, we have only received a report on the loss of property."Batam, Riau Archipelago (ANTARA News) - Several areas in Batam City of Riau Archipelago bore the brunt of a whirlwind, which caused minor to major damages to tens of houses on early Thursday.
"According to the information, the whirlwind has struck Batu Merah, Batu Ampar, Tanjunguma, Lubuk Baja, and Bulang Lintang in Galang Sub-district as well as Tanjungbuntung area in Bengkong Sub-district," Chief of Disaster Division in Batam Social Sub-official Nano stated here on Thursday.
Nano remarked that as of now, there were no reports of casualties and victims due to the disaster.
He added that the sub-official has gathered data on the number of victims and damaged houses affected by the whirlwind that occurred at 2 a.m.
"We have deployed the team to calculate the losses due to the whirlwind. They will also assist people who were affected by the disaster," the chief added.
The institution has forecast that the whirlwind mostly affected the regions in coastal areas than the main island.
Chief of Public Relations for Batam Administration Ardiwinata reported that the officers were still collecting data about the victims and losses caused due to the disaster.
"Currently, we have only received a report on the loss of property. We hope there will be no casualty," Ardiwinata remarked.
The whirlwind also damaged several tents of the Indonesian Creative Products Expo Week and National Quran Reading Contest.
"Several tents were torn and collapsed in the expo and Quran reading contest," contest official Buralimar pointed out.
(Uu.B019/INE/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
