Rare tornado hits Chilika Lake; similar events occurred in 2018, 2019

India Oct 11, 2025

A rare tornado, locally called "Haathisundh" (elephant's trunk), spun up near the Kalijai temple at Chilika Lake in Odisha this Friday, catching tourists off guard.
The sudden twister was quickly filmed and shared across social media.
Interestingly, similar tornadoes popped up here in both 2018 and 2019.

Tornadoes in India

Tornadoes aren't common in India—they mostly happen in eastern states like Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam, and usually show up between March and May.
Even though these storms are weaker than those in other countries, they can still cause real damage and panic.
Knowing about these rare weather events helps everyone stay safer and avoid unnecessary chaos if one strikes again.