MULUGU: More than a year after the devastating tornado that swept through the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary in Tadvai mandal of Mulugu district left thousands of trees flattened, there are visible signs of natural regeneration across the affected zone.
According to officials, the tornado that struck on August 31, 2025, tearing through 332 hectares of dense forest, was the result of a squall line.
Officials estimate that close to one lakh long-life trees were uprooted as winds reached 140 kmph, creating a narrow impact corridor stretching roughly 3 km. No human habitation lay in its path, and the tree cover absorbed the impact that might otherwise have hit settlements between Pasara and Kondaparthy.
A joint assessment later undertaken by the National Remote Sensing Centre, the National Atmospheric Research Laboratory at Tirupati, the India Meteorological Department and the Geological Survey of India traced the event to a squall line that formed between the Pacific Ocean and the northern Bay of Bengal.
According to Mulugu District Forest Officer Rahul Kishan Jadhav, this weather system facilitated the creation of two cyclonic movements — one air-based and one moisture-laden. As the air vortex rose, the moisture system descended over land, generating the tornado that passed through the sanctuary.
A workshop held in Hyderabad on September 24, 2025, reviewed the findings, which have since been forwarded to the Union and state governments. The DFO described the tornado as unusual for an inland forest in India, and pointed out that it was the first recorded instance of such wind intensity within a protected zone in the state.
“The devastation was unprecedented. Rehabilitation of the green cover was our priority. Our officials have removed Lantana, Mahaveera and Eupatorium species to aid fresh growth, as these plants hinder regeneration,” the DFO said.
He said that 15 forest personnel were deployed in the area to monitor the zone and support recovery.
Funding support has come from the Telangana government for soil restoration, assisted re-sprouting and protection measures in the 332-hectare stretch.
“We are working to enable re-germination across the affected patches and prevent invasive growth,” Rahul Jadhav said, adding that the process would continue over the coming seasons as vegetation revives naturally.
