1. The most deadly tornado on record occurred in Bangladesh in 1989, claiming the lives of 1300 people.
2. Almost always, the direction of rotation of a tornado depends solely on the hemisphere in which it occurs. All tornadoes in the Northern Hemisphere rotate counterclockwise, while in the Southern Hemisphere, they rotate clockwise. There are rare exceptions to this rule (so-called “anticyclonic tornadoes”), but they are incredibly rare.
3. An interesting phenomenon is the occurrence of fire tornadoes. These form as a result of massive fires, such as when an entire city is ablaze. The heat from the fire warms the air, causing it to rise. Cooler air from the periphery then rushes in to replace it, creating a vortex up to 5 kilometers high. The hot air can reach hurricane-level speeds, and its temperature can soar to 1000°C.
4. In 1879, in the city of Irving, a tornado was able to lift a church building into the air and move it 4 meters. Inside were worshipers who were praying fervently at the time. None of them were seriously injured during the flight.
5. In 1923, a tornado destroyed a house where a family was having lunch. The building lost its roof and walls almost instantly. However, the table with food, as well as all the occupants, remained unharmed by the elements.
6. Tornadoes have also been observed in Moscow. In 1904, a tornado caused widespread destruction in Lefortovo and Mytishchi and exposed the bottom of the Moscow River. More than 100 people perished as a result of the storm.
7. Sometimes tornadoes cause unusual “rainfall,” during which more than just water falls from the sky. In 1939, a tornado in Britain lifted a huge number of frogs into the air, which then rained down on the heads of astonished Britons. More often, if a tornado forms over the sea, it sucks up fish.
8. Perhaps most astonishingly, sometimes people who are sucked into tornadoes survive. For example, in 1955, a tornado lifted a nine-year-old girl into the sky and carried her 300 meters, and in 2006, a teenager was carried 400 meters but survived without serious injuries.