Tornado as a Disaster in Terai Region of Nepal

Abstract

Tornadoes are a specific type of storm and, being a natural disaster, they cannot be stopped. However, it is possible to reduce their impact. Tornadoes are formed when different types of air mix, creating molecular clouds filled with water vapor. As the clouds with dry air separate, low pressure is formed leading to the occurrence of tornadoes. They primarily occur at sea level when air moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. To depict the affected areas of Bara and Parsa districts in Nepal, the ARC GIS MAPPING software is utilized to create a map. Tornadoes can be anticipated if there is a presence of dust particles and cloud formations, particularly during the pre-monsoon period. However, accurate and timely severe weather forecasting alone is insufficient to mitigate the impact of these events. The size and speed of a tornado are influenced by various factors, such as the heating system from the land, the release of latent heat within the atmosphere, local geography altitude, seasons, and land or surface features.