Funnel Cloud Looms Over Runway Near La Paz, Bolivia

Ground staff at El Alto International Airport near La Paz, Bolivia, watched as a funnel cloud loomed over the area on December 8.

The weather event caused damage in the city of El Alto, with local media reporting fallen utility cables, broken windows, and roofs blown off.

Airline worker Xiomara Paola Sempertegui Pinnola captured footage of the funnel cloud from inside a plane on the runway, as the ground staff looked on.

The Washington Post reported that when the cyclone touched down, it represented “one of the highest-altitude tornadoes ever observed.”

“The tornado descended Sunday afternoon, causing minor damage as it passed along the northern periphery of the airport and into nearby neighborhoods. El Alto International Airport is the highest international airport in the world at 13,313 feet, serving the city of La Paz,” the Post reported. Credit: Xiomara Paola Sempertegui Pinnola via Storyful