Sittwe: A tornado lashed Tae Chaung Village in Sittwe at midnight on June 14, destroying homes and leaving many families homeless, said villagers.

"The severe tornado hit our village at night and it only lasted for a little over three minutes, but 36 houses were destroyed and 17 families were left homeless," a resident said.  

Tae Chaung Village is located between Sittwe and Manzi Village, where a new graveyard for Sittwe's residents has been located.

"A villager, Maung Lu Pyo Gyi, sustained serious injuries but others have only minor injuries. The villager has been hospitalized," the villager said.

The village monastery and a primary school were also damaged by the tornado.

Some officials from Sittwe visited the village to compile a list of victims and damaged homes, but no relief has yet been given to the villagers.

"We are now reconstructing the damaged houses ourselves, but most villagers cannot afford to rebuild. So we are looking forward to relief aid and help from the government," he said.

In Arakan State, storms and cyclones are common during the monsoons, but tornados are rare, and this is the first during the rainy season in three years.