Forty houses in a fishing village in West Papua province in Indonesia were destroyed by a tidal wave on Tuesday (February 22) leaving hundreds of residents homeless.

According to reports, 229 people lost their homes that were located on a beach area of Sorong City.

The tidal wave also damaged fishing boats and public facilities.

Local authorities set up four tents and a soup kitchen for the affected families.

"When it happened at around 8:300 am local time, I was at my sister's house, then suddenly my sister's house was hit by a tidal wave and immediately collapsed," said Wondemina Aronggear, whose own home was also destroyed.

She said residents were in need of food, water and other supplies.

According to officials, there were no casualties in the incident.

Forty houses in a fishing village in Indonesia, to be precise in Sorong City, West Papua Province, were damaged by the tidal wave, Tuesday (22/2/2022). The disaster also affected two hundred and twenty-nine residents and temporarily fled to safer places.

Dozens of damaged houses were recorded in the Klademak II Beach Complex and Doom Island. The houses are located on the beach.

Apart from houses, the tidal wave also damaged a number of public facilities and fishing boats.

Local residents whose houses were destroyed by the disaster could only surrender and cry. They had to lose their homes they had lived in for decades.

A joint team from the local police and military led by the Director of the Water and Air Police, West Papua Regional Police, Kombes Pol Budi Utomo immediately rushed to the scene to save the residents.

According to Budi, after receiving the report of the natural disaster, his party immediately coordinated with the Regional Disaster Management Agency of the Sorong City Government and the Mobile Brigade Forces and the TNI immediately went to the scene to save the residents. They also immediately set up emergency tents for residents who experienced the disaster.

“After receiving a report from the West Papuan Police, they immediately coordinated with technical agencies to evacuate residents and set up emergency tents, essentially we saved the population and evacuated them to a safe place. ” said Police Commissioner Budi Utomo.

He said there were four makeshift tents built to accommodate hundreds of residents. In addition, preparing a soup kitchen to meet the logistical needs of the refugees.

One of the residents whose house was also destroyed by the tidal wave and storm disaster, Wondemina Aronggear recounted the moments when her family's house and other residents at the scene were swept away by waves and storms.

They could not do anything and just surrendered and tried to save themselves from the natural disaster.

"When it happened at around 08.30 am local time, I was at my sister's house, then suddenly my sister's house was hit by a tidal wave and a storm, immediately collapsed. We also tried to save ourselves out of the house. Fortunately we all survived." Wondemina said.

Currently, according to Wondemina, local residents affected by the natural disaster are in dire need of food, proper clothing, drinking water and medicines.

Natural disasters due to tidal waves and storms that occurred destroyed dozens of houses in this fishing village, now all local residents have fled to refugee camps set up by the local police. Residents also desperately need public kitchens and blankets, especially since there are so many children under five, the elderly and women.
"Residents who are displaced are in dire need of food and drink supplies and other necessities.

There were no casualties in this disaster, but dozens of children and hundreds of adults are in dire need of help.