September 27, 2019, 10:34 PM
A video of a small "tornado" filmed in Tuas was circulating on WhatsApp and social media on Sep. 27, 2019.
Mini "tornado" at Gul Way
The video, posted to Facebook page All Singapore Stuff by a contributor, was apparently filmed at Gul Way in Tuas.
The 32-second clip, apparently filmed from inside a nearby building, showed cloudy skies and strong winds.
The winds appeared so strong that part of a building's roof was torn off, and debris and litter were whipped about in the air.
People can be heard screaming in the background at the sight, and asking if it was safe.
A man's voice then sounded on a speaker system, telling everyone not to leave the building.
The "tornado" reportedly formed at around 10:30am.
The video has since gone viral, racking up over 1,300 shares.
You can watch the full video here.
More videos of incident surfacing
Several social media users have chimed in stating they were at Gul Avenue when the incident occurred, and could testify to the authenticity of the video.
Some even uploaded similar videos of the inclement weather and intense winds.
One, in particular, filmed from the ground, showed debris swirling dangerously about in the air.
Video by Chop Chung Shun/ FB
Video by Sha Mim/ FB
Video by Ah Feng/ FB
Another video appears to have been taken from within the damaged building itself.
Boards from the roof can be seen being stripped away, leaving a huge hole in the shelter.
First reported occurrence of landspout in Singapore
In response to Mothership queries, the Meteorological Service of Singapore (MSS) under the National Environment Agency (NEA) revealed that the "tornado" was actually a landspout.
A thunderstorm had developed over the waters off Tuas.
When the storm moved inland, the moist air fed into the storm, intensifying it and forming a rotating column of winds over Gul Way.
The landspout typically occurs when there is an intense thunderstorm under unstable atmospheric conditions, similar to a waterspout over a water body.
Landspouts usually last several minutes, and will weaken quickly when the thunderstorm matures or dissipates.
Additionally, the nearest wind sensor located at Jurong West recorded a low wind gust of 16.1km/h.
Based on prior records, MSS states that this is the first reported occurrence of a landspout over Singapore.
Top photo from All Singapore Stuff
If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram to get the latest updates.