VIDEOS: Tornado rips through parts of Mpumalanga

Strange weather phenomena, from funnel clouds to a confirmed tornado, have been seen in the Highveld in the past week.

A reader, Hendrik Janse van Rensburg, sent photos and videos to Middelburg Observer documenting the latest funnel cloud to hit Mpumalanga, near Wonderfontein.

A tornado hit Panbult, between Ermelo and Piet Retief, on January 3. This was confirmed on Storm Report SA’s Facebook page and was categorised as an EF3 tornado. This type of tornado can reach wind speeds of between 218km/h and 266km/h.

It was also confirmed by the South African Weather Service.

Residents also recorded a funnel cloud just outside Belfast on Monday. It was said that the cloud did not make contact with the ground.

Photos documented the destruction the tornado and funnel cloud left in its wake.

This article was translated from Afrikaans by Nica Schreuder

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