This is the dramatic moment a towering dust devil tore through sand along the coastline in Indonesia.

Footage shows the powerful whirlwind picking up dust and debris in Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan, on Tuesday, September 2.

Residents said the freak weather phenomenon appeared around a water hole left by a mining excavation in Sungai Melayu Rayak Village, starting as a small swirl that rapidly grew in size within minutes.

Onlooker Itha Putri said: 'It happened very quickly. The dust devil suddenly appeared and scared us. The sky was clear before, and it hadn't rained for a long time.'

The vortex, which appeared to merge with dark clouds, swirled over the area for around 15 minutes before dissipating.

No injuries or damage were reported.

Dust devil tornadoes are types of whirlwinds 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 and rise, and the cycle continues, picking up dust and debris and making the spiral visible.

They are not as dangerous as supercell tornadoes, which can cause severe damage.