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Lean waterspout tornado sparks panic along coast of Indonesia

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This is the dramatic moment a lean waterspout tornado swirled just off the coast of Indonesia, sparking panic among stunned residents and tourists.

Footage shows the powerful vortex twisting ominously at Mbah Drajit Beach in Lumajang Regency, East Java, on Sunday.

Onlooker Marsolah said the swirling funnel appeared suddenly beneath overcast cloud cover.

He added: 'The whirlwind appeared from the clouds, extending to the sea surface. We were a little worried because it was moving toward the beach. The wind was quite strong.'

Locals watched nervously as the whirlwind lingered for around 10 minutes before gradually moving back out to sea and vanishing.

Yudhi Cahyono, Head of the Emergency and Rehabilitation Division of the Lumajang Regency Disaster Management Agency, confirmed the weather phenomenon struck about 1,000 metres from the shore.

Yudhi said: 'Based on the data collected, we can confirm that the waterspout did not cause any damage.'

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 but not impossible for waterspouts to cause severe damage. 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.

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