'Scared for my life': Water spout-turned tornado smashes beachfront homes
An enormous water spout has been filmed before it turned into a tornado and wreaked havoc much to the shock of people watching on.
The huge spout was spotted off Florida’s Golden Beach on Wednesday about 1.20pm local time.
Video shot by Sharlene Lustig shows the colossal air mass just off the coastline.
“Oh, my God. That is unbelievable,” Ms Lustig says.
“Oh, my God. It’s pouring over there.”
A man says he’s noticed it making its way onto the shore where there are many luxury homes in Golden Beach.
“Michael, look at all the stuff that’s blowing up,” Ms Lustig says.
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Sunny Isles beach 🌪😳 #Florida #waterspout pic.twitter.com/FBKWWWlvFk
— Hi (@girldriven) August 19, 2020
The man points out it’s turned into a tornado but appears to be dissipating.
He’s right too - the National Weather Service confirmed the spout turned into a tornado as it hit land before it went off shore again. Winds picked up to about 130km/h.
Fortunately, no one was injured.
Resident Julio Grisales told Local 10 news the tornado threw about patio furniture.
“I started seeing chairs flying in the air and that’s when I knew something big was coming in,” he told the station.
“My heart was racing and I was really scared for my life. I thought I was going to fly away.”
Tornado / waterspout golden beach Florida - ramen by my mom pic.twitter.com/ANsCQgVHqS
— Scott shear (@scottshear6) August 19, 2020
Mr Grisales sought refuge in his garage but such was the strength of the wind he couldn’t open the doors.
Fortunately, the wild burst of wind only lasted less than five minutes.
A resident of Sunny Isles Beach, south of Golden Beach, filmed the spout in the water before it made landfall.
“Very scary,” one woman tweeted.
One man compared it to something out of the post-apocalyptic film The Day After Tomorrow.
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