A powerful tornado ripped off roofs and sent debris flying over homes in Indonesia.

The whirlwind struck the village of Sumbersekar in Malang, East Java, on Sunday, causing panic among residents in the area around 3 pm local time.

Dramatic footage shows debris swirling above the neighbourhood, with trees violently swaying under an overcast sky.

The Malang Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) reported that a total of 115 homes were affected by the freak weather.

Head of Emergency and Logistics Division of Malang Regency BPBD, Sadono Irawan, said: 'In detail, nine houses were severely destroyed, 14 homes were moderately damaged, and 92 sustained minor impact.

'Fortunately, there were no fatalities in this incident.'

Heavy rain also struck Dau District from midday until the evening, adding to the disruption caused by the vortex.

On the same day, another tornado struck a community in Tana Toraja Regency, South Sulawesi.

Christian Batara Sakkung, head of the Tana Toraja Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency, said: 'Fourteen traditional Torajan buildings, including rice barns, were severely damaged by the tornado, and two residents' homes were also affected.'

No casualties were reported, though authorities estimated material losses to be worth hundreds of millions to billions of rupiah.

The storm also uprooted trees, blocked roads, and caused power outages in several areas.

A tornado forms when warm, moist air meets cool, dry air during severe storms, creating a spinning funnel that becomes a tornado once it touches the ground.

Often linked to violent storms like supercells, tornadoes can cause severe damage alongside heavy rain, strong winds, thunder, and lightning.