This is the terrifying moment a giant funnel-shaped waterspout formed in the sea in the Philippines.

Ymart Jornadal Chavez was with his family at the Pitogo Fishport in Zamboanga del Sur province when the twister appeared on January 3.

The fisherman said they had just docked their boat on the port after work when strong winds tore across the bay.

Shocked locals standing on the port started to point at the huge vortex that appeared to be suck in the mass of clouds in the sky.

Ymart said: ‘I was with my grandmother when it happened. We were worried because it looked it would hit the boats nearby. It was the first time we have seen such a thing.’

Some residents shouted at the port to warn the fishermen who were still sailing towards land as the waterspout formed behind them.

However, the huge waterspout dissipated after almost ten minutes without leaving any damage.

Waterspouts are intense columns of swirling tornado clouds that form over a body of water. They are most commonly found in subtropical areas and disappear shortly after they come into contact with land.

Scientists believe they are formed when warm seawater laden with moisture rapidly evaporates and cools slower than the surrounding dry air. This leads to instability in the air and updrafts.

Shifting winds near the water’s surface then mix with the rising clouds to form a swirling vortex, giving rise to the narrow tornado-like shape cloud.