A tornado has reportedly caused extensive damage to a greenhouse in Moni, Limassol, according to its 32-year-old owner Raphael Nicolaou.
Nicolaou told our website that the weather phenomenon lasted only five minutes but caused significant damage to his business. He said that around 14:10 Monday, strong winds were recorded in the area, resulting in a tornado that hit his one-decare greenhouse.
“I was here and saw it with my own eyes. I ran to get the children inside the house because I was afraid something bad might happen. When I came back, I saw the greenhouse flying in the air”, Nicolaou stated.
He added that the greenhouse construction cost approximately €30,000, and in just five minutes, his life’s work was destroyed. Nicolaou, an agronomist who solely focuses on agriculture, grows various fruits and vegetables. He mentioned that tomatoes were due to be planted in the greenhouse in the coming days.
The Department of Meteorology, when contacted by philenews, said that while nothing had been officially recorded, they did not rule out the possibility of a “fair weather” tornado. They explained that this is a local and temporary phenomenon, but it can carry objects in its path.
A forecaster from the service explained, “It’s possible that it formed in the area and developed at the greenhouse site.” Regarding today’s weather conditions, it was emphasised that “such phenomena could form mainly today on leeward sides, which (today) are the southern sides of the island”.
