Trees uprooted, houses damaged after landspout strikes village in Kubang Pasu

A screengrab of one of the videos

ALOR SETAR: A tornado-like landspout struck a village in Kampung Pida 4, Kubang Pasu near here on Sunday (Oct 20).

The incident, which occurred at about 4pm during a freak storm, uprooted trees and damaged about 10 houses.

Kubang Pasu Civil Defence Force (APM) spokesman Captain Kamalruzamal Kasa said no casualties were reported.

"Currently, APM personnel are investigating the extent of the damage," he said in a statement.

So far, no evacuations were reported.

Videos of the phenomenon were circulated in social media and WhatsApp.

One video sees the "tornado" swirling violently in the middle of a padi field with villagers performing the Azan (call to worship) during the incident.

A landspout is a tornado that forms from a thunderstorm that is not a supercell.

It is essentially the land-base equivalent of a waterspout. - Star