A mini tornado, also known as a landspout, struck Damansara in Selangor on Tuesday (13 Oct) evening, sending strong winds through the area.
Videos of the incident quickly circulated online, including clips showing cars being pummeled by the wind at a toll plaza during rush hour.
One video shows a small whirlwind moving among cars lined up at a toll plaza.
It appears to lift the rear of a blue car less than a metre off the ground. The car abruptly falls and hits another vehicle in the next lane.
As the twister moves further away from the toll gate, small debris is also seen flying in the vicinity.
Source: @mohd_escobar on X
It also appears to be raining and thundering during the incident.
Another footage of the incident taken from a residential parking lot also showed a car being pushed across the area, while trees bent and debris swirled in the wind, The Star reported.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) later confirmed that the strong winds were caused by a mini tornado, or landspout.
Source: Bryan Tan on Canva, for illustration purposes only.
Director-General Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said the phenomenon developed from active cumulonimbus, or thunderstorm, clouds.
A tornado forms when a rapidly rotating column of air develops due to wind shear and rising air within a thunderstorm.
According to Mohd Hisham, tornadoes in Malaysia are generally small, measuring less than 10m across and lasting only a short time.
Their small size and brief duration make them difficult to detect using weather radar or satellites.
Source: @mohd_escobar on X
However, MetMalaysia had issued a thunderstorm warning for parts of Selangor at 5.30pm on 13 Oct.
Landspouts and waterspouts are more commonly seen during Malaysia’s monsoon transition periods, Mohd Hisham explained.
These are from March to May and September to October.
They form when the atmosphere is unstable and humid, combined with weak winds blowing from different directions.
Also read: S’pore resident spots ‘tornado’ in Woodlands, MSS says it was likely a funnel cloud instead
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Featured image adapted from @mohd_escobar on X.