Scary Video Shows Two Men Driving Through a Tornado

I grew up mesmerized by tornadoes. And terrified of them. I blame it on childhood infatuations with The Wizard of Oz and Twister. Two films that illustrated the devastation these storms cause; and also highlight their strange beauty. There’s something so breathtaking about their utter unknowability. It’s actually what makes them so heart-wrenching, too. Because we can’t really predict how they’ll function or where they’ll head next.

That’s certainly on display in this riveting video we discovered over at HuffPost. Cesar Villaseñor filmed the footage of his boss attempting to drive them to safety in Alabama on March 25. Before they can make it, however, they get trapped in the middle of a tornado.

“Everything starts going to hell basically,” Villaseñor told HuffPost. “At one point, the van was shaking really bad to the point that I thought it was like to flip over. I was just shaking. I couldn’t control my hands.”

Good Morning America

You can see as a whole tree rips out of the ground right in front of them. And then, to their left, the roof of a house tears off. The men, who are luckily unharmed by the passing tornado, are also clearly shaken up. It’s a terrifying thing to watch. And it’s over in the blink of an eye. That’s the other wild thing about tornadoes; they come and go so quickly, leaving devastation in their wake.

This storm was part of a tornado outbreak that ravaged the South last week. There were more than 100 severe storm reports, 17 reported tornadoes, at least six deaths, and dozens of destroyed homes.

Tornadoes are major threats in certain parts of the country during the springtime. That’s one of the major downsides of post-winter warmer weather. I’m so glad Villaseñor and his boss were safe, and that we’re able to see the powerful video that captured such a surreal moment.