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Barking severe weather: Lightning and torrential rain hit capital

@Bennyboy25 Tornado@Bennyboy25
Some residents described seeing what looked like a "tornado"

A lightning strike and high winds have damaged houses, roads and vehicles in Barking, the Met Police has said.

Police were called to the Hulse Avenue area at about 19:20 BST after what officers described as a "weather-related incident".

Residents also reported damage to electrical equipment, street furniture and some surrounding roads.

Barking and Dagenham Council said there had been "severe weather damage" in the area.

Some locals described it as a "tornado" on social media.

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A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air that reaches between the base of a storm cloud and the Earth's surface, according to the Met Office.

If the column does not reach the surface, it is classed as a funnel cloud.

Most tornadoes, although they produce damaging winds, do not lead to widespread destruction.

The Met Police posted on Twitter: "There are no reports of any casualties. Officers are liaising with the local authority to ensure support is available to anyone affected by damage to property."

Barking and Dagenham Council also tweeted: "We're aware of the severe weather damage in the Barking area and our Immediate Response team along with the police and fire brigade are on hand sorting any issues."

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