Khordha: A stunning video of a rare tornado occurring in Odisha’s Khordha district took tourists by surprise and caused panic for a few minutes on Friday. The massive tornado, also known as a waterspout, was seen southwest of the temple of Kalijai, Chilika’s presiding deity, while hundreds of tourists were enjoying the spectacle.
Before the tornado disappeared, some people managed to film it on their phones. Clips of the tornado have gone viral on social media. Some tourists panicked due to the sudden change in atmospheric pressure and the appearance of the tornado. They screamed and ran for their lives. The tornado lasted for a few minutes.
The wind activity is being referred to as ‘Haathisundh’ (elephant’s trunk). The formation was a waterspout, a type of tornado that forms over large bodies of water, confirmed state meteorologist Biswajit Sahoo while speaking to local channels. Waterspouts generally occur in seas around the United States and Canada.
Tornadoes are rare in India, mostly occurring in eastern states like West Bengal and Odisha during pre-monsoon months.
In 2009, a tornado in West Bengal killed around100 people and destroyed many houses. In 2021, another tornado damaged buildings in West Bengal.
