Panic in Italy as freak tornado sends sunbeds flying in front of horrified tourists
Worried holidaymakers were seen running to a safety spot at the popular resort town of Marina di Grosseto, in Italy's Tuscany region.
Tourists in Italy were left in shock after a freak tornado sent hundreds of umbrellas and sunbeds flying on an Italian beach.
Worried holidaymakers were seen running to a safety spot at the popular resort town of Marina di Grosseto, in Italy's Tuscany region.
Dramatic footage captured a waterspout, a small tornado that forms over the sea, making landfall on Thursday, sending beach furniture spiraling into the sky.
A beachgoer filmed the terrifying scene as the tornado rapidly approached, prompting him to leap up and run for cover while still recording.
The waterspout swept along the coast, causing destruction, as onlookers gasped in disbelief.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the beach was empty due to poor weather. Tuscany was under an orange weather alert at the time.
Claudio Castellucci, who owns the beach resort Bagno Giglio, told local media: “The damage was significant, but fortunately, no one was injured.
“The few bathers on the beach were able to seek shelter under the awning.
“The scene was terrifying: the sunbeds were lifted off the beach and swept into a vortex, eventually landing in the carpark over 50 metres away.”
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A waterspout is a funnel-shaped or tube-like column of swirling air filled with spray, typically occurring over bodies of water.
These phenomena are common in tropical regions and generally have the strength of weak tornadoes.
In another incident in Italy, a massive waterspout struck a crowded beach in Salento, causing panic. Footage shows the tornado-like formation rapidly approaching startled sunbathers, sending them scrambling for safety as chairs, jet skis, and tables were hurled into the air.
The waterspout wreaked havoc on Friday at the marinas of San Cataldo, Torre Specchia, and San Foca.
Video captured the dramatic moment when the spout surged from the clouds, spinning wildly as it moved towards the San Foca coast, while a thick cloud of vapor formed beneath it.
In its aftermath, bins, deckchairs, and umbrellas were scattered across the beach. Exhausted and drenched beachgoers could be seen sitting by a roadside above the shoreline, having escaped the storm by rushing up nearby steps.
The pavement, now flooded and covered in debris, bore the signs of the waterspout's impact.
Despite the chaos, no injuries were reported from the turbulent event.
