This is the terrifying moment a waterspout tornado whirled near boats in southern Thailand.

Footage shows the twister forming off the coast of holiday island Phuket after heavy rain on April 11.

The rotating air column dissipated after a few minutes without causing damage.

The Thai Meteorological Department said today that southern Thailand, including Phuket, will experience scattered thundershowers and isolated heavy rain.

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.