ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Antigua and Barbuda authorities were on Wednesday assessing the damage caused by a tornado that touched down in the northeast of the island.

Director of the National Office of Disaster Services, Philmore Mullin, said it is still too early to determine the cost of the damage caused by the weather system late Tuesday close to Long Island, located about two miles off the northeast coast of Antigua.

“Whatever was in its way got scratched so it uprooted trees, downed power lines, damaged vehicles, damaged buildings, and removed things considered to be heavy out of its path,” Mullin told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

Commanding Officer Major Randolph Best said about half of the buildings at the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force had been affected.

While tornadoes have occurred in the past they have primarily uprooted trees or remained at sea.

Residents believe that the system may have been linked to the passage of Tropical Storm Chantal through the Lesser Antilles on Tuesday, and Mullen said “I could say that weather conditions were correct for that type of development and it just took place”.