Dust devil spotted in Arakan, Cotabato

A rapidly swirling column of air was observed outside the Arakan Public Market in Arakan, Cotabato. 

According to Kuya Kim Atienza's report on "24 Oras" Tuesday, the video of the whirlwind was captured by Angelika Ruth Peñafiel on Sunday.

"Around 1:51 p.m. po, bigla pong lumakas 'yung hangin. Nakita ko po 'yung mga alikabok na parang unti-unting bumubuo. After mga 15 seconds, nabuo na po 'yung malaking ipo-ipo," she said. 

"Natakot po talaga kasi katapat po ng tindahan namin. Unti-unting lumusaw na po. Thank God po, wala po damage," she added. 

Per Kuya Kim, PAGASA said that the whirlwind spotted outside Arakan Public Market is called a dust devil and not a tornado (buhawi) nor a waterspout (ipo-ipo). 

Compared to tornadoes, dust devils are weaker, smaller, and measure a few meters in height. They form in hot, dry areas like deserts and fields. However, Kuya Kim noted that some dust devils can reach up to a kilometer in height and almost 10 to 100 meters in width. 

"Kapag mainit 'yung hangin aakyat po 'yan pataas 'yung tinatawag natin na updraft. Kapag nagsimulang umikot kapag lumiliit 'yung vortex, mas bibilis 'yung ikot niya diyan din hihila ng hangin at mas lalaki 'yung structure niya," said PAGASA weather specialist Dr. John Manalo. 

"At first, hindi pa siya ganun ka-visible pero 'pag nag-gather na 'yan ng mga alikabok tulad nung sa video natin ay mas makikita na natin siya." 

Manalo has advised the public to keep a safe distance from a dust devil to avoid getting hit by small debris.

"Ano yung dapat nating gawin? Wala naman itong further harm na magdudulot sa atin. Ang pwede lang ay mapuwing tayo o kaya kapag may lumilipad na mga maliliit na papel na pwedeng kapag tumama sa atin ay masugat tayo. So, lumayo lang tayo nang kaunti dito," he said. —CDC, GMA Integrated News