Philippine twisters tamer than US tornadoes

MANILA, Philippines—What do you do when you see a twister?  Don’t panic; it will be over before you know it.

The chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration had this reminder in the event of a “buhawi,” assuring the public that such “localized” twisters are mild compared to the devastating tornadoes common in some parts of the United States.

As the southwest monsoon aggravated by Tropical Storm Falcon battered much of Luzon, twisters hit Quezon City and Iloilo on Friday and again struck in Bulacan Saturday, peeling off roofs and uprooting trees.

“It only affects small areas. They’re very localized, very sudden, very brief, and very small that they could not be detected through satellite,” acting Pagasa administrator Nathaniel Servando told the Inquirer.

“They’re not like tornadoes in the US. Here, the effects are short-lived and they’re not that strong,” he said.

Asked what people should do to protect themselves and their loved ones in case of a twister touchdown, Servando recommended seeking cover in the closest stable structure one could find.

“The best is to seek cover at home. [When outside] look for a sturdy structure,” Servando said.

Servando said localized twisters often occur in the afternoon in areas where thick and heavy clouds are hanging low or during storms and strong movement of the monsoon.

“A tornado could form within a circulating storm or a habagat (monsoon),” he said.

Pagasa sent a team to survey the twister damage in Quezon City Friday afternoon and confirmed that a localized tornado had indeed struck the city.

Servando said Pagasa made the conclusion “based on the description of witnesses and the damage in the area,” like the way the wind toppled trees.

Tornadoes are known to form out of cumulonimbus clouds, the same kind of cloud that could generate hailstorms and thunderstorms, said weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio.