Damaging wind in Durban was 'landspout event' - SAWS
The South African Weather Service has dismissed the reports of a tornado in Durban following heavy rains in the area
Areas of Inanda and Phoenix were battered by heavy rain and strong winds on Tuesday, leaving hundreds of people destitute after scores of homes in Dube Village were damaged.
Some flying debris landed on electrical lines, while poles and trees were uprooted.
"Apart from damage to property due to the heavy and persistent rain, there was sadly also damage to housing structures due to the strong winds associated with the landspout phenomenon," the SAWS said in a statement.
"At this stage, the severity of damage resulting from this event lies within the lower end of the Enhanced Fujita Scale (otherwise known as the “EF scale”) used to assess storm damage due to landspouts, waterspouts and tornadoes."
"Based on photographic evidence to hand, the South African Weather Service rates this event as an EF1, associated with wind gusts well in excess of 100 km/h."
"On first impression, landspouts and tornadoes do look very similar; both phenomena manifest themselves as a dark, spinning vortex or tube extending from the base of a cloud. Both phenomena have the capacity to cause wind damage."
The weather service says the phenomenon is relatively uncommon because of being underreported by the public.
"It is relevant and noteworthy to mention that a landspout was recently observed and documented in the Koperfontein area of the Western Cape earlier this month on 4 June 2023."
"Tornadoes typically cause damage across a much greater range of the EF scale; from EF0 (minor damage) right up to EF5 (catastrophic damage), whilst wind damage due to landspouts or waterspouts tends to be much less severe."
SAWS says whilst landspouts and tornadoes may look very much alike, their formative processes are widely different.
ALSO READ:
