Possible tornado forms over Newcastle, KZN (video)

Newcastle resident Paul van der Nest captured footage of the funnel-shaped formation of what looks like a tornado on Monday afternoon, Newcastle Advertiser reported.

Last month, video footage emerged showing a tornado sweeping through Vryheid and Dundee in KwaZulu-Natal.

Weather SA forecaster Izekiel Sebego told The Citizen that tornadoes were mostly likely to hit the eastern parts of the country during spring and autumn.

Sebego added that it was “normal” for tornadoes to be observed, particularly in November.

The SA Weather Service said tornadoes were often observed in mid-summer from November to January, although a large number of tornadoes have occurred in spring and early summer (September and October) and in the late summer and autumn (February to May).

Most tornado events in the country (for which the time of the day were available) occurred in the late afternoon or early evening, typically between 4pm and 7pm, according to the SA Weather Service.

Late last month, houses were damaged in Protea Glen, Soweto during a strong storm which was thought to be  a tornado.

Videos and pictures taken by Protea Glen residents showed a mass of clouds that converged into a funnel-shape coming towards the ground.

Information on the number of deaths experienced in the country as a result of tornadoes were not readily available.

During the Protea Glen tornado, more than 30 houses were reportedly damaged, while no injuries were reported.

In 2011, an eight-year-old child died and more than 160 people were injured when a storm, accompanied by a tornado, tore through Duduza, near Nigel on the East Rand.

Duduza was later declared a disaster area after hundreds were left homeless.

– Caxton News Service