Chilika, Oct 12: In a rare event, a tornado struck the famous Chilika Lake in Odisha on Friday, leaving tourists both stunned and alarmed.
The powerful whirlwind was spotted southwest of the Kalijai Temple as hundreds of visitors were enjoying the scenic view.
Before the tornado faded away, several tourists managed to record it on their phones. Videos of the dramatic weather event have since gone viral on social media.
A sudden drop in atmospheric pressure followed by the sudden formation of the tornado sent people screaming and running for their lives.
The brief but intense wind activity, which lasted only a few minutes, is being referred to as “Haathisundh” (elephant’s trunk).
Meanwhile weather experts stated that the phenomenon was a waterspout — a type of tornado that forms over large bodies of water.
Such waterspouts are more commonly seen in the seas surrounding the United States and Canada.
#WATCH | A rare tornado over Chilika Lake stunned visitors, marking the first such recorded event in the cyclone-prone Odisha region.#Cyclones #Chilika #news pic.twitter.com/t3rAMok0Eq
— Prameya English (@PrameyaEnglish) October 12, 2025
Such occurrences are rare in India, though a few have been reported in recent years along the Bay of Bengal, particularly in West Bengal. In Odisha, events of this kind are extremely uncommon.
This is not the first time such an event has been witnessed at Chilika Lake. Similar occurrences were reported in 2018 and 2019.
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