Menacing Tornado Twists Down Over Chilean Countryside Near Requínoa

A tornado touched down beyond a line of trees near Requínoa in central Chile on Monday, October 26, as a severe storm tore through the O’Higgins region.

X user Consu, who lives in nearby Rancagua, filmed the white funnel twisting down from heavy grey clouds over the countryside, seen from across a grassy field.

The tornado struck at about 5:30 p.m. and was classified by Chile’s weather service as an EF-2, with winds of between 179 and 218 km/h. The national disaster agency SENAPRED declared a red alert for Requínoa.

The twister damaged more than 70 homes and a school gym, and left one person with a minor injury, officials said. Falling poles knocked out power to thousands of customers and onto the railway line, halting train services between Rancagua and San Fernando.