Poojappura in Thiruvananthapuram witnesses dust devil whirlwind

A screen grab of the dust devil whirlwind formed at Poojappura. (Photo | Special arrangement)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city on Friday witnessed a rare weather phenomenon -- dust devil whirlwind -- at Poojappura ground in Thiruvananthapuram. The small rotating column of air raised sand and dust and lasted for less than 10 minutes.

The rare phenomenon occurred in the afternoon when a cricket match was going on. Dust devils are similar to tornadoes but much weaker. They are typically formed on hot, sunny days when the ground is heated unevenly, creating pockets of warm air that rise rapidly through cooler air layers above, causing rotation.

The city recorded a maximum temperature of 33.8 degrees Celsius while the Vellanikara in Thrissur recorded a maximum of 37.5 degrees Celsius.