Rare Tornado Strikes Odisha's Chilika Lake: Tourists Capture Stunning 'Haathisundh' Waterspout Phenomenon

Odisha:

A tornado struck the renowned Chilika Lake in Odisha on Friday, causing reactions of both panic and amazement from tourists at the location. The tornado appeared southwest of the Kalijai temple while hundreds of visitors were enjoying the scenic views.

Several tourists managed to capture the weather phenomenon on their mobile phones before it dissipated. Various video clips of this natural event have since gone viral across social media platforms.

The sudden atmospheric pressure change and the tornado's appearance caused people to scream and seek safety. This wind activity, which only lasted for a few minutes, has been locally referred to as 'Haathisundh' (elephant's trunk).

In conversation with Odisha regional media, state meteorologist Biswajit Sahoo confirmed that the formation was actually a waterspout - a specific type of tornado that forms over large bodies of water.

According to Sahoo, waterspouts typically occur in seas around the United States and Canada. "Their occurrence in India is rare, though a few have been reported in recent years along the Bay of Bengal, particularly in West Bengal. In Odisha, such events are extremely infrequent," he explained to regional media.

This isn't the first instance of such a phenomenon at Chilika Lake. Similar waterspout events were recorded there in 2018 and 2019.

(With inputs from Dev Kumar Ghosh)