Ripping trees from their roots and sending roofs flying, Vladivostok`s twister touched down in several areas Sept. 20. Witnesses say the tornado, which was the first in over 60 years in this city, came from the southwest at 20 meters per second over the dark-grey Amursky Bay at 1:50 p.m. Hitting Egersheld Peninsula first, it lifted huge steel containers into the air, then dropping them back to earth. One woman in the Churkin region was hurt when the roof of her house caved in. Residents, accustomed to typhoons, hurricanes and even tsunamis, were caught off guard; apparently even the state weather service was surprised by the unusual metereological event. Local newspapers covered the tornado`s arrival on the front page, with dramatic headlines like "We looked the twister in the face."