Hundreds of houses damaged as whirlwind hits west Indonesia

JAKARTA, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Whirlwind ravaged nearly 200 houses and about 140 hectares rice fields in Cirebon district of West Java province in western parts of Indonesia, a senior official of disaster management agency in the district said on Sunday.

"The whirlwind destroyed about 190 houses and rice paddy fields in Gunungjati and Suranenggala sub-districts," senior official at the agency Deddy Majmu told Xinhua over phone.

However, there was no report of casualty or those injured, the official said.

Relief efforts have been underway, involving soldiers, police and personnel from local disaster agency as well as volunteers, he added.