RRI.CO.ID, Cirebon - A powerful tornado struck Cirebon Regency, West Java, on Wednesday afternoon, March 11, 2026, damaging hundreds of houses across two districts. The Cirebon Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) reported that at least 242 homes were impacted by the extreme weather event.
Head of Emergency and Logistics at the Cirebon BPBD, Hadi Eko, remarked that the disaster occurred at approximately 3:20 p.m. Jakarta time, as heavy rainfall and high-velocity winds swept through residential areas.
“Based on temporary data collected as of 10:35 p.m. Jakarta time, we have recorded 242 affected houses with varying degrees of damage,” confirmed Eko in Cirebon on Wednesday night, March 11, 2026.
According to BPBD officials, the districts of Gunung Jati and Suranenggala were shrouded in dense, dark clouds, a sign of severe atmospheric instability, shortly before the incident. A vortex then emerged, moving from south to north, developing into a full-scale tornado that tore through the settlements.
The force of the wind ripped tiles off roofs and sent debris airborne. In addition to the structural damage, approximately 20 trees were uprooted across several locations, temporarily obstructing road access and disrupting local activities.
The disaster affected 498 families, impacting a total of 1,455 individuals residing across the two districts. This widespread event left a significant mark on the local community and their primary residential areas.
Beyond the residential damage, several public facilities including schools like Muara Wetan 1 Elementary School and Mertasinga Elementary School were reported damaged. Local places of worship, such as the Al-Hidayah and Nurul Huda mosques, also sustained structural impacts during the storm.
Despite the widespread property damage, the BPBD confirmed there were no reports of fatalities or injuries.
“The Operations Control Center (Pusdalops) team of the Cirebon BPBD is continuing to collect data and conduct assessments to coordinate further recovery efforts at the affected sites,” added Eko. (Annaila Syafa Azzahra/Bambang MBKA)