A terrifying dust devil tornado whipped up rubbish as it tore through a village in Myanmar.

The whirlwind kicked up sand and dirt as it swirled violently across an open lot in Okekyin village in Kachin state May 21.

Locals watched the twister swirl around for several minutes before it lost momentum and finally dissipated. No property damage was reported.

Dust devils are a type of whirlwind tornado that form when the sun heats a patch of land and the air above becomes warmer and rises quickly.

Cooler air then moves into the low-pressure gap left by the rising warm air. The new drafts of cooler air also heat up, rise and the cycle continues, picking up dust and debris making the spiral visible.

Dust devils are generally smaller and less intense than a tornado, but they can still be destructive as they lift dust and debris into the air.