Farmers of Narayanapura village in Pargi Mandal, Rangareddy district, on Saturday, were left aghast when a tornado swept through their agricultural lands, wreaking havoc and destroying crops in thousands of acres.
The farmers said that the unexpected tornado had caused enormous damage to the paddy crop, which was ready to be harvested.
The shocked farmers have appealed to the government for help, even as agriculture officials are yet to estimate the damage caused to the crops.
Farmers who have witnessed this strong force said that they had also heard loud sounds accompanied by the tornado.
Scientists in the city said that tornadoes mainly occur when the warm air from the ground level rushes upwards and meets the cool dry air. This causes the warm air to cool down, which further causes the moisture to condense, resulting in a thundercloud that grows in height. The winds at different levels cause the tornado to get its distinctive funnel shape.
However, they said, they were yet to ascertain reasons for the tornado in the district.
Tornadoes are known to cause massive destruction wherever they occur. They have the force to uproot trees, damage houses to the extent of ripping off the rooftops, and overall, cause loss of property and life as well.
The recorded wind speed of a tornado is usually between 40 mph and 110 mph. These rotating columns of air can travel many kilometers.
Funnel-shaped tornadoes mainly occur in areas of Southern Canada, Southern Africa, regions of eastern and south-central Asia. These also occur in some areas of north-western Europe and south-eastern regions of Australia and New Zealand.