MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) More than 10 shanties were damaged when a brief twister hit an area of the University of the Philippines-Diliman campus in Quezon City on Thursday morning, police said.

Aside from the shanties which were damaged by the strong winds, tree branches and an electrical post also fell across the C.P. Garcia Ave in Barangay UP Campus, blocking the road to traffic, said Superintendent Oscar Palison, Anonas police station commander.

As of Thursday afternoon, the huge cement electrical post was not yet hauled off the road, which was near the corner of Magiting Street and C.P. Garcia Avenue, causing heavy traffic along C.P. Garcia Avenue, which connects Katipunan Avenue to the University Avenue and the Philcoa area, Palison said.

No one was injured in the incident, Palisoc said in a phone interview.

Tornados are associated with the monsoon season when thunderstorms are common, said Nathaniel Cruz, chief of the state weather bureau’s weather branch.

"Tornados are abnormal but not highly unusual," he said.

Several pieces of wood, roofing and belongings of the residents lay scattered across the road, along with tree branches which fell as a result of the “ipo-ipo.”

Residents said the incident happened at around 10 a.m., as Metro Manila was being pounded by strong rains and winds.

Robelyn Felipe, a resident, said she had just come from delivering relief goods to residents of Pook Palaris who were affected by a fire the day before when she saw the twister.

“I was walking home along C.P. Garcia when I noticed that in the middle of the strong rains, there was a black tunnel-like object hovering in the air. When it hit the ground, the roofs and branches flew off,” she said Thursday morning.

She added that she only realized that the electrical post had fallen after she heard a loud “crack” and saw sparks coming from the post.

Around 12 shanties were damaged in the mid-morning twister which lasted around three to five minutes, Felipe said.