国际英语新闻:Tornado sweeps out beachfront neighborhood in New York City

NEW YORK, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- A tornado ripped through a beachfront neighborhood in Queens, New York on Saturday, hurling debris into the air, knocking out power, flooding roads and even forcing the delay of the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

But so far no injuries have been reported, according to the local media.

The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed that an EFO tornado touched down near Breezy Point, Queens earlier in the day. The swirling column of wind and water was captured by dozens of people on cell phone cameras, and instantly posted on the Internet.

The tornado lasted only minutes, according to witnesses, but already long enough for it to tear down walls, lift roofs off homes and tangle power lines as it cut a path through the Rockaways, near Breezy Point.

New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly arrived at Breezy Point on Saturday afternoon to assess the damage, media reports said.

The NWS issued a tornado warning for Queens and Brooklyn as a line of strong thunderstorms moved through the city, the reports added.