Powerful IF2 Tornado Hits Varkhi, Belarus as Twin Tornadoes Strike Vitsyebskaya Oblast

On 9 July 2025, two tornadoes struck Vitsyebskaya Oblast in northern Belarus, just ten minutes apart. The more severe of the two tore through the village of Varkhi in the Gorodok district at approximately 14:10 UTC and was rated IF2 based on a detailed damage survey, photographs, and video evidence. The tornado caused severe destruction, with 27 residential buildings damaged, roofs torn off two private stores, and numerous trees uprooted or snapped, resulting in blocked roads, including a section of the major E95 highway. Forests were also damaged, and power transmission infrastructure was partially destroyed. Eight emergency units from the Ministry of Emergency Situations responded to the affected area to assist with clearing debris and supporting the population

Around 14:20 UTC, a second tornado was visually observed near Lyakhi, also in Vitsyebskaya. This tornado produced a well-defined funnel cloud, which was captured on video and widely shared, but no damage was reported, and the event remains unrated. Both tornadoes were part of a strong convective outbreak driven by a dynamic frontal system and elevated atmospheric instability, triggering severe thunderstorms over eastern Europe

The Varkhi tornado‘s IF2 rating was confirmed by the European Severe Weather Database (ESWD), using the BRC damage indicator with Degree of Damage 2, supported by photographic evidence from sources including VK’s “Фобос. Катаклизмы и катастрофы природы”. The event highlights the rising occurrence of intense tornadic activity in regions outside traditional tornado belts, further emphasizing the need for severe weather preparedness in Belarus and surrounding countries