Tornado hits Negros Occidental town

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A tornado struck 20 houses and ripped parts of the roof of a community rice mill in San Enrique, Negros Occidental, Monday afternoon, San Enrique Mayor Jilson Tubillara said.

According to Tubillara a strong wind was seen building up in Barangay Baliwagan at about 2:30 p.m. Monday that later turned into a tornado.

First hit by the tornado was Barangay  Tabao Rizal  where one house  was destroyed and three were damaged, he said.

The tornado then struck Barangay Batuan, where three houses  were destroyed and 13 others were damaged.

Tubillara said the tornado also ripped up  part of the roof  of a rice mill in the barangay.

The town government immediately  provided  assistance to the tornado victims, he said.

Elenita Amen, Municipal Risk Reduction Management Officer said galvanized iron sheets torn from roofs landed in rice fields while trees were uprooted. Electrical posts were also damaged causing brownouts in some areas.

There were no casualties reported, Amen said. Before  the tornado, it was very hot and then it started to rain, she said.

Tornadoes are vertical funnels of rapidly spinning air, that  are often accompanied by hail.

Amen added that they were unable to verify reports that hail also hit San Enrique yesterday.

Amen said the local government will also provide rehabilitation assistance to the tornado victims.

Meanwhile, a bronze back tree snake with two heads was recovered  in San Enrique last week and was turned over to the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Bago City, CENR officer  Joan Gerangaya said.

The 29-centimeter long snake was turned over by Amen, who is also the municipal environment officer, Gerangaya said.

It is not ordinary  for a snake to have two heads, he said.

The unusual two-headed snake is under observation at the  Bago CENRO  rescue center and when it is fit, it will be released back to the wild, Gerangaya said.

Amen said the snake was found on a tree in Barangay Tabao Rizal on Wednesday last week.  /muf