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'Never Seen Before' Tornado Striking Tamil Nadu Leaves Locals Stunned ...
'Never Seen Before' Tornado Striking Tamil Nadu Leaves Locals Stunned ...
Updated 21 June 2026 at 20:59 IST
A rare tornado-like landspout was caught on camera in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. WATCH the extraordinary weather event that has shocked experts.
Garvit Parashar
Viral News
3 min read
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‘Never Seen Before’ Tornado Striking Tamil Nadu Leaves Locals Stunned | Image:
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An extraordinary weather event took over the skies of Thoothukudi on Sunday, June 21, capturing the attention of meteorologists and weather enthusiasts across India. Viral videos shared online by local weather spotters, including the popular account Tamil Nadu Weatherman, and later verified by meteorologist Navdeep Dahiya, captured a rare phenomenon: a slim, twisting funnel cloud descending from a dark storm system to touch the ground, stirring up a swirl of dust.
While it appeared narrow, brief, and relatively weak, experts confirm it was a genuine tornado—one of the rarest sights in southern India. No major damage or casualties have been reported, but forecasters emphasize that even a mild tornado demands respect.
What Exactly is a Tornado and How Does it Form?
A tornado is defined as a violentl…
Tornado in Tamil Nadu? Rare funnel cloud stuns residents in Thoothukudi ...
Tornado in Tamil Nadu? Rare funnel cloud stuns residents in Thoothukudi ...
Residents of Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu witnessed a rare and dramatic weather event on Sunday when a tornado-like funnel cloud briefly appeared during a thunderstorm.
Videos circulating on the Internet showed a narrow, twisting column of storm descending from a dark cloud and stirring up dust at ground level before dissolving within minutes.
Weather observers like Navdeep Dahiya and the popular weather platformTamil NaduWeatherman widely shared several videos from distinct angles.
Sharing a video, Dahiya wrote, “Crazy and very close visuals of #Tornado from Toothukudi Airport in #TamilNadu. Folks have not idea what are witnessing. Wind speed under such Tornado could easily be 170-220km/h. By the structure it seems like almost EF2 (Enhanced Fujita scale 178km/h+ winds).”
Watch here:
Crazy and very close visuals of#Tornadofrom Toothukudi Airport in#TamilNadu.
Folks have not idea what are witnessing.Wind speed under such Tornado could easily be 170-220km/h. By the structure it seems like almost EF2 (Enhanced Fujita scale 178km/h+ winds)https://t.co/XSDHhpM73epic.twitter.com/ERmtBmYywa
— Weatherman Navde…
Rare dust whirl formed by thunderstorm in Thoothukudi.
Rare dust whirl formed by thunderstorm in Thoothukudi.
Chennai experienced a remarkable weather event on Sunday, as parts of Tamil Nadu were hit by severe thunderstorms. Amidst this atmospheric turmoil, a video capturing a striking column of swirling dust in Thoothukudi gained significant attention on social media, with many viewers likening it to a tornado. However, meteorologists clarified that this phenomenon was not a tornado but rather a result of a strong updraft associated with the
thunderstorm activity
.
Understanding the Weather Phenomenon
According to officials, Thoothukudi was subjected to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, which were attributed to a
cyclonic circulation
combined with intense local heating. This weather system led to the formation of a
cumulonimbus cloud
, which can reach altitudes between 3 kilometers and 18 kilometers. The powerful updraft generated by this cloud was responsible for lifting loose soil and dust from the ground, resulting in the swirling column observed in the viral video.
V. R. Durai, the director of the Area Cyclone Warning Centre at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), emphasized that the swirling dust was not indicative of a to…
Watch: 'Tornado-like' dust column over Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi stuns residents
Watch: 'Tornado-like' dust column over Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi stuns residents
A striking dust devil, resembling a tornado, captivated residents in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, amidst evening thunderstorms. Meteorologists clarified it was a powerful updraft from a cumulonimbus cloud, not a true tornado. This rare phenomenon, where strong upward air currents lifted soil and dust, has been observed in the region before, leaving onlookers astonished by the dramatic visuals.
VIDEO: Rare Tornado-Like Storm Hits Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi, Causes ...
VIDEO: Rare Tornado-Like Storm Hits Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi, Causes ...
A dramatic funnel-shaped weather phenomenon swept through parts of Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi district on Sunday evening, damaging homes, infrastructure and a private theme park, while sparking widespread speculation on social media about a possible tornado.
Videos recorded near the Thoothukudi airport area showed a towering column of dust and debris spiralling into the sky as powerful winds moved across the landscape. The rare sight prompted many residents to describe the event as a tornado.
Breaking It Down
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What recent tornado events have occurred in the U.S.?
Created with AI. Errors are possible
Villages Bear The Brunt Of Violent Winds
The worst-hit areas were Vagaikulam and Mudivaithanendal villages along the Thoothukudi-Tirunelveli highway, around 20 kilometres from Thoothukudi city.
Residents said strong winds uprooted trees, snapped electricity poles, tore away roof sheets and damaged household belongings in a residential cluster of nearly 200 homes. Debris, including roofing material…
Corroboration
No verdict, no pronouncement. The model extracts atomic factual claims with verbatim quotes; every quote is validated against the source text and corroboration is computed by counting how many editorially-opposed blocs assert each fact. 3 fabricated/unverifiable quotes were rejected by the cite-or-die gate.
The spine · 2 facts corroborated across ≥2 opposed blocs
2×cross-perspective · 3A dust column resembling a tornado was observed in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
indiaother
timesofindia“Watch: 'Tornado-like' dust column over Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi stuns residents”
republicworld.com“A rare tornado-like landspout was caught on camera in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.”
indianexpress.com“Residents of Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu witnessed a rare and dramatic weather event on Sunday when a tornado-like funnel cloud briefly appeared during a thunderstorm.”
mirrornow.in“Chennai experienced a remarkable weather event on Sunday, as parts of Tamil Nadu were hit by severe thunderstorms. Amidst this atmospheric turmoil, a video capturing a striking column of swirling dust in Thoothukudi gained significant attention on social media, with many viewers likening it to a tornado.”
timesnownews.com“A dramatic funnel-shaped weather phenomenon swept through parts of Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi district on Sunday evening”
2×broadly confirmedThe dust column was caused by a strong updraft from a cumulonimbus cloud.
indiaother
timesofindia“Meteorologists clarified it was a powerful updraft from a cumulonimbus cloud, not a true tornado.”
mirrornow.in“The powerful updraft generated by this cloud was responsible for lifting loose soil and dust from the ground, resulting in the swirling column observed in the viral video.”
Contested · 1 — sources conflict; shown, not resolved
⚔ The claim that the event was a tornado contradicts the IMD's assertion that it was not a tornado but a dust column from a cumulonimbus updraft.
A indiaother The dust column was caused by a strong updraft from a cumulonimbus cloud.
B Experts confirm it was a genuine tornado.
Single-source · 7 — reported by one bloc only (uncorroborated)
The phenomenon was captured in viral videos shared by local weather spotters, including the account Tamil Nadu Weatherman.
republicworld.com
Meteorologist Navdeep Dahiya verified the videos and estimated wind speeds of 170–220 km/h, suggesting an EF2 rating on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
indianexpress.com
Experts from the viral video verification community confirmed the event was a genuine tornado.
republicworld.com
No major damage or casualties were reported.
republicworld.com
Homes, infrastructure, and a private theme park in Thoothukudi district were damaged by strong winds.
timesnownews.com
The worst-hit areas were Vagaikulam and Mudivaithanendal villages along the Thoothukudi-Tirunelveli highway, around 20 kilometres from Thoothukudi city.
timesnownews.com
Strong winds uprooted trees, snapped electricity poles, and tore away roof sheets in a residential cluster of nearly 200 homes.
timesnownews.com
Framing · 7 — loaded language surfaced (spin shown, not adopted)
timesofindia
“'Tornado-like' dust column”
→ A dust column resembling a tornado
republicworld.com
“'Never Seen Before' Tornado”
→ A rare tornado-like landspout
republicworld.com
“shocked experts”
→ captured the attention of meteorologists and weather enthusiasts
indianexpress.com
“Crazy and very close visuals”
→ Videos showing a narrow, twisting column of storm descending from a dark cloud
indianexpress.com
“Folks have not idea what are witnessing”
→ Residents did not recognize the phenomenon
timesnownews.com
“damaging homes, infrastructure and a private theme park”
→ Strong winds caused damage to homes, infrastructure, and a theme park
timesnownews.com
“sparking widespread speculation on social media about a possible tornado”
→ Residents described the event as a tornado