Tornado hits golf course in Cavite, 40 trees uprooted and 26 cars damaged

By Ronron
May 26, 2005

Weather experts confirmed yesterday that what hit a golf course in Cavite on Wednesday afternoon was a tornado.

This was based on the extent of damages left by the calamity, the account of witnesses, and the appearance of the affected place after the incident.

Weather Branch Chief Nathaniel Cruz of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview yesterday that what was perceived as a whirlwind at around 1pm the other day in Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club in Barangay Mabuhay, Carmona, Cavite was indeed a tornado.

The natural calamity, which lasted for more than a minute, resulted in the uprooting of around 40 trees, and the damage of 26 cars after these were run over by the fallen trees.

Fortunately, there was no casualty in the incident.

Cruz said the tornado was estimated to have a diameter of no more than a hundred meters based on the damaged area inside the golf course.

He said the circular formation of the fallen trees also affirmed their theory that what occurred was a tornado. “If it was just an ordinary wind, the fallen trees would be in a single, similar position,” Cruz explained.

“The security personnel of the golf course confirmed that there was a thunderstorm at that time and that the strong wind resembled to that of a tornado,” stated a police report.

Cruz said a tornado needs to have a severe thunderstorm and heavy gray cloud (cumulus nimbus). It is triggered by a difference in the wind strength at the land surface and on the atmosphere.

The strength of the tornado, however, was not immediately determined by the national weather bureau.

The Office of Civil Defense has last recorded a mini tornado incident on May 20 in Bamban, Tarlac which partially damaged six houses, affecting six families./DMS