Tornado surprises drivers on highway in Mato Grosso do Sul

A tornado hit the BR-163 highway between Dourados and Rio Brilhante, in Mato Grosso do Sul, startling drivers on the road. The phenomenon was captured on video by truck driver Rafael Foster, who was traveling to Dourados.

The footage shows dust covering the road and corn straw being blown away by the wind, reducing visibility. “The truck shook a lot,” said Rafael.

According to him, the tornado formed in the morning, about 42 kilometers from Dourados. “I was heading to Dourados when we saw a whirlwind. We got scared and stopped for a few minutes on the road because we couldn’t see anything,” he explained.

After some time, the storm calmed down, and the drivers were able to continue their trip. “Thankfully, nothing was damaged. At the moment, it was frightening. My friend Evaldo started praying inside the truck,” Rafael added.

Meteorologist Natálio Abrahão confirmed that the video clearly shows the formation of a tornado. “It is well identified because the flow touched the ground,” he explained.

According to Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet), a tornado is defined as a violent rotating column of air that connects the base of a convective cloud to the Earth’s surface. It is considered the most destructive phenomenon on the scale of atmospheric storms and can occur anywhere in the world if conditions are favorable.

Despite the scare, no one was injured, and the drivers resumed their journey once the winds weakened.