"The wind was really strong, and suddenly the roof just lifted." That is how a resident of RT 003, Jatimakmur, Pondok Gede, described the whirlwind that hit on the night of Monday 11 August 2025, as quoted on the Bekasi City government website. Three houses had roof damage. The holes were covered with tarpaulin and plywood while families waited for repairs.
Bekasi Utara has been hit too. On 26 February 2021 the city's disaster agency (BPBD) recorded a whirlwind across RT 01 to RT 05, RW 004 in Kaliabang Tengah, affecting 19 households. Five trees fell in Bekasi Utara that day, one of them on Jl. Raya Perjuangan in Harapan Baru. At a housing estate in Bekasi Timur, the official report listed "roofs torn open, canopies blown away and fences lifted".
The damage named in those reports was to roofs, canopies and fences.
Why Stay Alert for Longer This Year?
On 22 September 2026, Indonesia's meteorological agency BMKG announced that the 2026/2027 rainy season would start late across most of the country. BMKG head Teuku Faisal Fathani said El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole occurring together had worsened and prolonged the drought across most of Indonesia, so the rainy season would arrive late and be shorter.
The Bekasi figure is in BMKG's official Rainy Season Prediction 2026/2027 book, published in September 2026. The climate zone covering northern Bekasi City is expected to enter the rainy season in the third ten-day period of December 2026, that is 21 to 31 December. That is two ten-day periods later than normal, with the peak expected in February 2027. Southern Bekasi City starts earlier, around mid-November.
That matters because, according to BMKG, puting beliung is more common during the transition between seasons, though it can also occur in the rainy season. If the rains only arrive in late December, the transition in northern Bekasi City can run into December. BMKG's West Java weekly warning for 5 to 11 October 2026 already flagged moderate to heavy rain, lightning and strong wind in parts of West Java, including Bekasi Regency on 5 October.
What Are the Warning Signs?
BMKG explains that puting beliung forms from cumulonimbus clouds and usually lasts under 10 minutes. Signs you can spot from your terrace:
- The night before and the morning feel hot and muggy.
- After strong heating between 10:00 and 14:00, dark towering clouds shaped like cauliflower appear.
- Nearby branches start swaying fast, followed by a gust of cold air.
- The first rain to fall is usually heavy from the start.
It happens more often around midday or in the afternoon, but the 2025 Pondok Gede case struck on a Monday night, and on 26 February 2021 the whirlwind in Medan Satria was logged at 00:15. The affected area typically covers roughly 5 to 10 km, so one kelurahan can be hit while the next one only gets ordinary rain.
The Parts of a Two-Storey House Most at Risk
A two-storey house has a higher roof that is more exposed to wind than a single-storey one, and anything light that comes loose up there is more dangerous. BMKG itself advises checking roofs, especially those made of light materials, and trimming trees that are too dense or brittle before the transition season. The list below is a practical check you can ask a builder to do. It is not an official government standard.
| Part | What to check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Edge tiles and ridge (nok) | Tiles at the roof edge and ridge tiles that have shifted or whose mortar has cracked | Wind lifts from the edges first |
| Carport canopy | Wall bolts, screws on polycarbonate or metal sheets, any wobbling posts | Wide and light, easily "blown away" |
| Water tank on a slab or frame | Straps holding the tank to its base, especially when it is nearly empty | An empty tank is far lighter |
| Satellite dish, antenna, solar panel | Mounting bolts and guy wires | They sit at the highest point of the house |
| Gutters and fascia | Loose gutter hangers | A half-detached gutter can swing into glass |
| Trees and yard items | Branches overhanging the roof, hanging pots, plastic chairs, laundry racks | They turn into projectiles |
We compared canopy materials and fixings in our carport canopy guide. For the roof as a whole, use our 14-point pre-rainy-season checklist. If the branches over your roof belong to a neighbour, who trims them and who pays for damage is covered in our article on neighbours' trees.
What Should You Do When the Wind Hits?
According to BMKG, when indoors, shut all doors and windows, switch off the electricity and move away from doors and windows. Outdoors, keep clear of power poles, billboards and tall trees. If you are in a car, get out and shelter in a solid building. BNPB also advises bringing outdoor items inside so the wind cannot carry them, so do it before the dark clouds arrive.
After the Wind Drops, Who Do You Report To?
First, photograph all damage before tidying up: the roof from inside and outside, the canopy, the fence and anything that was struck. These photos are used for the kelurahan's damage count and, if you have one, an insurance claim.
Second, report to your RT/RW and the kelurahan. In past cases, damage was recorded through the neighbourhood structure and BPBD. Bekasi City's BPBD runs the 112 call centre and WhatsApp 0821-2349-9719 for emergency reports such as fallen trees, with a target first response of 30 minutes.
Government help exists, but it is decided case by case. After strong winds hit Jatiasih on 1 May 2026, Mayor Tri Adhianto said the city had prepared between Rp10 million and Rp15 million for each heavily damaged house. That figure was for that event.
Third, check your policy. The standard fire policy (PSAKI) that usually comes with a mortgage does not cover damage from typhoons or storms unless the policy includes an extension for it. That extension is usually sold as a flood, typhoon, storm and water damage package. We explain the coverage gap in our home fire insurance article.
The sensible timing: check the roof, canopy and tank in October and November, before the rains start in late December and before every builder in the area is booked.
For Home Buyers in Bekasi Utara
The Emerald 70 house in the Kingspoint cluster on Jl. Raya Perjuangan is a two-storey home with 70 m² of floor area on bored-pile foundations. When you view any unit, ours or anyone else's, ask these three questions: what the roof frame and covering are made of, how the carport canopy is anchored to the structure, and where the water tank sits. The answers decide how much work you face every transition season. You can also check whether nearby neighbourhoods are part of the city's disaster-resilient kelurahan programme.
Frequently asked questions
When does the 2026/2027 rainy season start in northern Bekasi City?
According to BMKG's Rainy Season Prediction 2026/2027 book (September 2026), the climate zone covering northern Bekasi City is expected to enter the rainy season between 21 and 31 December 2026, two ten-day periods later than normal, with the peak in February 2027.
How long does a puting beliung usually last?
According to BMKG, usually less than 10 minutes. It forms from cumulonimbus clouds and is more common during the transition between seasons, though it can also occur in the rainy season.
Who do I report wind damage to in Bekasi City?
Report to your RT/RW and the kelurahan so the damage is recorded. For emergencies such as fallen trees, Bekasi City's BPBD runs the 112 call centre and WhatsApp 0821-2349-9719.
Does mortgage fire insurance cover a roof damaged by wind?
The standard PSAKI policy excludes damage from typhoons or storms. It is only covered if the policy has a flood, typhoon, storm and water damage extension.
Sources: BMKG press release, 22 September 2026, and BMKG's Rainy Season Prediction 2026/2027 book (September 2026); BMKG press release on puting beliung, 22 February 2024; BMKG warning signs as published by BPBD DIY; BMKG West Java warning for 5 to 11 October 2026 (Media Indonesia, 4 October 2026); bekasikota.go.id (26 February 2021, 14 August 2025, 2 May 2026); Bekasi City BPBD (20 October 2025); BNPB advice as published by BPBD Bogor Regency; the PSAKI policy wording under AAUI circular No. 172/2025 and OJK's Sikapi Uangmu.
Want to see the Emerald 70 roof and canopy in person?
Book a visit to the Kingspoint cluster on Jl. Raya Perjuangan, Bekasi Utara, and ask our team about the roof materials, canopy and water tank position.
Chat on WhatsAppRelated reading on the Kingspoint Blog
- Before the Rains: A 14-Point Audit for New Houses in Bekasi
- Carport Canopies for Bekasi Cluster Homes: Polycarbonate vs Metal vs Membrane
- Home Fire Insurance in a Cluster: What to Know Before You Buy
- A Neighbour's Dry Branches Before the Rains: Who Pays for Damage
- Bekasi's Disaster-Resilient Kelurahan Programme: What to Check Before Buying