Mini-tornado hits Sydney

SYDNEY – A mini-tornado smashed into Sydney on Friday, bringing torrential rain and flooding to Australia's largest city, a day after an intense storm ripped up homes along the country's east coast.

The latest storm left 11 buildings in Sydney's beachside eastern suburbs with mostly minor damage, while Thursday's tornado at the small surfing town of Lennox Head had destroyed 12 homes and smashed caravans.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the Sydney storm was possibly not spotted because the heavy rain had reduced visibility.

"But it does appear there has been a significant whirlwind type feature which we'll call a water spout if it's coming in off the water, and that has caused some damage," the bureau's Andrew Haigh told ABC Radio.

Source: Inquirer