Bandung. On Wednesday, a tornado ravaged hundreds of houses in Nanjung Mekar Village, Rancaekek, Bandung Regency, West Java. The unexpected occurrence of a tornado in West Java left everyone surprised, including researchers at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

BRIN considers this natural event in Rancaekek and parts of Sumedang to be the first of its kind in West Java, prompting the agency to launch an in-depth investigation. 

Climatology expert at BRIN, Erma Yulihastin, shared this information through her official X account on Thursday. According to her, a comprehensive investigation is deemed necessary to understand the details of this small-scale tornado.

"Our research team at BRIN will promptly conduct a reconstruction and investigation of the Rancaekek tornado on Wednesday. The chronology of photos and videos from the public and media is invaluable in assisting researchers to document this extreme weather, noted as the first tornado in the region," she tweeted.

The tornado that appeared in Rancaekek manifested as a dark-colored swirling wind. Its sudden appearance caused panic among residents, given the considerable damage to numerous buildings, as seen in various videos where debris was lifted.

According to data from the Bandung Regency Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the impact of the tornado resulted in 213 severely damaged houses out of a total of 392 damaged houses in Nanjung Mekar Village, Bandung Regency.

"The Rancaekek tornado in Indonesia is almost identical to tornadoes often seen in the northern hemisphere, especially in the United States, with a striking resemblance of 99.99 percent," she wrote.

According to BRIN, tornadoes differ from whirlwinds in having a higher wind strength scale and a broader radius. Tornado winds have a minimum speed of 70 km/h, whereas the strongest whirlwind winds were recorded at 56 km/h.

Aep Saepuloh, head of a community unit in Kampung Pangsor in Nanjung Mekar Village, said that residents whose homes were damaged by the tornado are choosing to take refuge in the homes of relatives.

As a result of the tornado, two residents were rushed to the hospital due to injuries caused by falling debris. "There are two victims, one is currently being treated in the hospital because of debris falling on them," he said.

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