Tornado rips through parts of New York City

A tornado has touched down in New York City's easternmost borough of Queens, causing damage to homes and knocking down trees and power lines in some neighbourhoods.

The tornado made its way to Queens around 10:20 p.m. Thursday along a path about three-quarters of a mile (1.2 km) long and 100 yards (91 meters) wide in the borough's College Point and Whitestone neighborhoods, the National Weather Service said on Friday, Xinhua reported.

No injuries were reported as a result of the tornado.

The twister was confirmed as an EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, the weakest strength with winds in the 104-136 km per hour range.

Tornados in New York City are rare. The last tornado touched down in Queens in 2013.