Environment

Tuas ‘Tornado’ Was Singapore’s First Ever Landspout & Probably Lasted Only A Few Minutes

Viral Video Of Tuas ‘Tornado’ Is Real, But Was Actually A Landspout

Videos of what appeared to be a ‘tornado’ in Tuas went viral on social media on Friday (27 Sep).

Strong winds caused zinc roofs to tear away and debris to fly everywhere, shocking many who were in the area. Have a look at one such clip here.

And another here.

The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) confirmed the rare weather incident later that evening, according to a report by Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

But it wasn’t a tornado like many speculated, rather, the first ever landspout to have occurred on our shores.

Tuas ‘tornado’ the result of a thunderstorm

Like the occasional waterspout, the landspout had reportedly formed from a thunderstorm over the waters near Tuas at 10.30am on Friday.

As the storm approached land, moisture in the dense air created a whirling column of wind over Gul Way, which was what netizens had captured.

Source

 

“Unstable atmospheric conditions”, says the MSS, formed the column over land, just like it does over water, hence the term “landspout”.

The MSS also explains that landspouts last no longer than a few minutes, and disappear quickly as the storm fades.

Not the first ‘tornado’ sighting here

It’s no surprise that the rare weather occurrence sent many Singaporeans gasping in awe and confusion.

After all, the craziest weather event we’ve experienced was probably just the haze from Indonesia. So to witness a column of wind wreaking havoc is truly quite spectacular.

Thankfully, the landspout only caused minor damage to the low-lying industrial buildings in Tuas, and no injuries have been reported.

Those who weren’t too bothered by the video would have probably recognised similarities between the landspout and waterspout, which was most recently seen at Tanjong Pagar Terminal in May.

Source

Both similarly posed little to no danger, and were very fleeting.

Stay calm & don’t panic

While the sight of an unusual weather phenomenon may be scary, we have to remember to remain calm.

If indeed conditions are risky, await confirmation and further instructions from the relevant authorities. Safety measures are usually in place in case of such emergencies.

Luckily for us, Singapore has been safe from dangerous weather phenomenon throughout our history, so chances are there’s no need to be alarmed.

Did you see the landspout in Tuas yesterday? Let us know in the comments below.

Featured image adapted from Facebook and Facebook.

The Must Share News Team

Teamwork makes the dream work.

Recent Posts

2 community cats die after being hit by cars in Marine Terrace, caregivers seeking footage

The driver who hit one of the cats purportedly denied doing so behaved angrily.

23 Nov 2024, 1:33 am

‘Tiger Candy’ contains erectile dysfunction medicine, may cause painful & exceedingly long erections: SFA

It has been marketed online as a candy that helps with male sexual enhancement.

23 Nov 2024, 12:11 am

Pop Mart pursuing legal action over unauthorised use of Labubu images by certain brands

"POP MART does not have any official licensed partners in Singapore," it said.

22 Nov 2024, 11:25 pm

Heavy rain on 22 Nov causes flash floods in Yishun & Potong Pasir, 127.7mm recorded in northern S’pore

51% of Singapore's average monthly rainfall in November fell in northern Singapore over less than…

22 Nov 2024, 10:27 pm

Pilot treats passengers to pizzas after emergency landing causes hours-long delay in the US

He made sure all the passengers were served before taking a slice for himself.

22 Nov 2024, 6:32 pm

Woman in China grows ‘trident’ flesh on fingernail, apparently due to improper & frequent manicures

The doctor recommended a 2-week gap between manicures to allow nails to recover.

22 Nov 2024, 6:08 pm