Tornado injures three in Rangoon

by Mizzima News
Monday, 20 July 2009 19:07

Rangoon (Mizzima) - At least three people were injured, and the roofs of several houses blown away, by a tornado which tore through Rangoon's Thaketha Township at about 2:30 p.m. (local time) today.

According to eyewitnesses, the tornado came roaring in from the Rangoon River, crossing the Five Star shipyard and tearing into Thaketha Township.

But fortunately, since most of the structures along the tornado's path were large industry buildings, only a few residences and roadside shops were destroyed.

“The wind began beating the shipyard and hit the nearby Yuzana Industry. Following that the wind blew toward a building in Ward 14 before going upwards without further entering the ward. If the wind would have blown inside the ward, it would have damaged the whole ward,” a resident of the six-storey Viewpoint Apartments in Thaketha, who witnessed the event, told Mizzima on Monday.

The tornado destroyed roofs and reportedly injured a woman and a child from Ward 14 along with a worker on the premises of the Thetlan Construction Company.

While there was commotion inside the Five Star shipyard and Yuzana Industry, the extent of any damage is still unconfirmed as entrance to the areas has been restricted.

Eyewitness said, even an hour after the tornado touched down, no officials or authorities had been seen at the site.