Roofs blown off, minor landslides, broken trees

According to residents, the tornado began shortly before 3 pm and lasted less than five minutes, but that was apparently enough time to wreak havoc on five homes as was evident by the sheets of galvanised, broken trees and other debris that were strewn about the yards.

Affected resident Irene Ewing recalled thinking that a storm was approaching after seeing dark clouds and a sudden downpour of rain before the place she had called home for more than 18 years was destroyed.

"I was on the telephone with a friend I had called to tell about what was happening because I saw the dark clouds coming up and just as I was talking to her, she told me she had pouring rain there and soon after the rain started to fall here. Shortly after there was a strong wind and I decided to hang up the phone because it seemed as if a storm was coming. I’m not even sure that I had put it down properly and ran to close the door when I heard a roar and realised that I was exposed to the elements and the rain started pouring in," a distraught Irene said.

Another eyewitness recalled seeing sheets of galvanised, a plastic water tank and even a dog being spun several feet in the air in an almost movie-like fashion.

A NEMA official told Newsday that the system experienced was what was normally termed a micro-burst which occurs when there is a down-draught of the weather system.

However, yesterday’s gusts measured approximately 35 knots. The MET office, which had earlier yesterday indicated that the island would experience high wind conditions, said that the system was not tornadic as, judging from the position of the debris, the winds were straight rather than circular.

NEMA officials also told Newsday that the northern side of the island experienced a few minor landslides and fallen utility poles, but TTEC and Fire Service officials had quickly been deployed in the affected areas to deal with the situation.

The cost of the damage had not yet been determined as Fire Service officials and officials of the THA Department of Infrastructure and Public Utilities are still conducting assessment exercises.