King convinced tornado destroyed radio station

Tornadoes are a common occurrence in the open flat lands of the Midwestern states of the United States.{{more}}

In fact a tornado recently swept through Joplin, Missouri, killing over 100 people.

Now, this country may have also been affected by what some persons describe as a strange phenomenon – a weather formation resembling that of a tornado.

Reni King, founder and owner of Jem Radio, located in Hopewell in the Marriaqua valley, told SEARCHLIGHT that he is convinced that a tornado is responsible for the destruction he sustained to his radio station last Sunday, May 29, at around 9:35 a.m.

“It was a quiet morning, bright and sunny, and then there was a darkening,” King explained.

He said at first, he passed it off as a passing shower, but then out of nowhere came a gust of wind and what he described as a “massive strike of lightning and thunder.”

“There was a loud bang,” King said.

He added that as a result of the lightning, a number of electronic items at the station and his home were destroyed, including the transmitter.

King said that his brother was on air at the time and he reported that immediately following the lightning, all the equipment went off.

King told SEARCHLIGHT that in the event of a major thunder storm, he would usually turn off the equipment, but the weather on Sunday came suddenly.

He added that the total estimated cost of damage was $30,000 at the radio station.

Meanwhile, King said that some residents of Richland Park said that they saw a funnel type formation with dark clouds approaching the Hopewell area and residents in Biabou reported seeing a water spout over the sea, which is not an unusual sighting.

However, this one travelled onto the land.

Peter Providence, Meteorological Technician at the Meteorological Office at E T Joshua Airport, said that he could not confirm that a tornado had affected the country but said that based on the description, it may have been a tornado.

“Based on the description, it may have been one, but it may not have been as intense,” Providence explained.

After all, according to Providence, there is recorded data of tornadoes in the Caribbean.

One struck in Puerto Rico on July 17, 2010, forcing the delay of the 21st Central American and Caribbean Games. Earlier that year, on March 29, 2010, a tornado passed over Grand Bahama, leaving three persons dead in its wake.