Residents of Kasimedu in north Chennai apparently witnessed a twister over the sea on Friday, the day the monsoon set in. Called a water spout, it was seen and videographed by many including C.G. Colony resident S. Dhanasekar. “It was quite windy and the sea was rough that day. I was in the fishing harbour when this thanni kaal (leg of water) moved from the Chennai Port towards Ennore,” he said.
However, officials of the Regional Meteorological Centre said that they were unable to confirm it as it was too small a body to be captured by radar. “More observational data is required to confirm it,” S. Balachandran, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre said.
Tornadoes or twisters are common in the USA. They have also been recorded in Odisha and north India.
Usually, they occur if there are low-level thunder clouds, said Y.E.A. Raj, former Deputy Director-General of Meteorology at the Regional Meteorological Centre.
