A tornado ripped through a portion of Lynden Pindling International Airport yesterday, damaging nine small aircraft.

Flights were suspended for at least two hours, officials said.

Superintendent Allan Emmanuel, officer-in-charge of the Western District, said there were no reported injuries. Emmanuel said most of the nine aircraft were seriously damaged.

Shortly after the system formed around 2:45 p.m, air traffic controllers abandoned their tower and ran to safety. Milo Butler III, general manager of the Airport Authority, said flights resumed shortly after 4:30 p.m.

At least two aircraft were overturned near the general aviation area, while others had damage to the tail portion. Firefighters also had to douse two of the planes with foam after fuel began to leak from them.

Chief Climatological Officer at the Bahamas Department of Meteorology Michael Stubbs, who visited the areas damaged by the tornado, said he saw the system form. Stubbs said once the system touched down it moved across the runway in a western direction toward the general aviation area.

"The air traffic controllers contacted me and said they were kind of concerned as well and said that they left the tower in [fearing for their lives]," he said.

The Department of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for New Providence, North Andros and their adjacent waters around 2:30 p.m. It warned residents to be alert and ready for possible tornadic activity and to remain indoors.

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