A thick waterspout tornado churned at sea during a storm in the Philippines.

The whirling air column appeared off seaside Tubod Town in Lanao del Norte province on October 26, terrifying residents as it touched down on the water.

Curious residents flocked near the coast to take a closer look at the weather phenomenon forming a distinct funnel from storm clouds overhead.

The local disaster office said the waterspout tornado had formed at around 2:35 pm and did not cross onto land.

Two types of tornado form at sea - tornadic waterspouts and fair-weather waterspouts. Tornadic waterspouts form from thunderstorms, just like land tornadoes, while fair-weather waterspouts are typically smaller and less powerful without the need for storms.

Both types of waterspout tornadoes are created when there is a strong difference in air pressure between the surface of the water and the air above it. This difference in pressure creates an updraft, which draws air from the surface of the water into the atmosphere. As the air rises, it cools and condenses, forming a cloud. The cloud can then rotate, forming a waterspout.

It is rare for waterspouts to cause severe damage. However, in August 2023 two tourists were killed and six injured when a waterspout tornado hit their boat on an estuary river in Phetchaburi, southern Thailand.