Tornado damages 27 houses in Baliuag

BALIUAG, Bulacan – A seven-minute tornado damaged at least 27 houses in farming villages in this town on Monday afternoon.

Mayor Romeo Estrella said initial assessment estimated the damage to reach more than P3 million.

“We are still trying to determine the total cost of the damage so that we can give assistance to those affected,” he said in Filipino.

The tornado damaged houses in Barangays Calantipay, Matang-tubig, Tilapayong and Pinag­barilan.

Pacita Tiquia, a resident of Barangay Calantipay said the tornado occured at around 4 p.m. on Monday.She told media men that there was a brief hailstorm, followed by darkening of the sky, rains and strong winds.

Spouses Ricardo and Perlita Angeles said they were inside their houses when the tornado passed by.

Other residents told The STAR that the tornado’s onslaught lasted for at least seven minutes.

Dr. Flaviana Hilario of the Climate Prediction Center of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) expressed surprised at the unusual incident.

She told The STAR that tornados usually occur during a typhoon, but she said it can be caused by a hot and cold weather situation.