A thunderstorm that swept through Lake Ruhondo in northwest Rwanda last week created a spectacular sight of water cannons.
The residents of Schadrack Tuya were sitting on the balcony of their home on Lake Ruhondo when they saw a tornado forming about 60 meters from the shore. Images he recorded with his mobile device showed the vortex emerging from a storm cloud and plunging directly into the lake. It moves very slowly and continuously sucks vapor from the surface of the lake into the air.
Local media said the phenomenon lasted around 15 minutes and posed no threat to communities living around the lake. It forms just above water and dissipates before moving inland.
According to the Rwanda Meteorological Agency, the tornado appeared on Lake Ruhondo due to the influence of a cold air mass, causing a large temperature difference between the hot water and the air above.
In another footage provided by local residents, the vortex looks like a giant water column, but in reality, it is mostly low pressure swirling steam.
Tornadoes that form over water are generally not as intense as tornadoes that form on land. They generally have winds that do not exceed 80 km / h and last less.
