Phuket Weather: 600-metre-tall waterspout spotted off Patong Beach

[webfact]

Phuket Weather: 600-metre-tall waterspout spotted off Patong Beach
The Phuket News


The waterspout today caused some panic. Photo: CR group

PHUKET: -- Hundreds of tourists and residents in/off Phuket's premier beach-town were alarmed earlier today when a gigantic waterspout was spotted off the west coast of the island.

The "water twister" appeared at around 12:45pm out in the middle of the sea several nautical miles off Patong Beach, and remained in vision from the coast for about five minues, with several boats nearbye, before finally disapating.

The height was reported to be as high as 600 metres, while the diameter was estimated to be as much as 10 meters wide, spinning anywhere from 20-80 meters per second, and wind speeds of between 100-190 kilometres per hour, but as fast as 225 kph, capable of capsizing small boats.

Although tourists and boaters were alarmed and imediately fled from the direction of the waterspout, no reports of injuries or damages have yet been reported.

According to worldmeteorology.com, no heavy rains are expected in Phuket for the rest of the day, and through to tomorrow morning; however, some light rain is forecast for the southern part of the island tomorrow afternoon.

Additional reporting by Ekkapop Thongtub

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-weather-600-metre-tall-waterspout-spotted-off-patong-beach-49421.php


-- Phuket News 2014-10-31

[draftvader]

...which was then arrested for misuse of the Tourist Police logo whilst pretending it was some-one else. TAT isn't sure whether to have a new "Phuket Waterspout" campaign or sue it for ruining all their tourism.

Sorry to be facetious but I don't know how to react to benign news any more.

[shirtless]

Imagine your travel insurance company when you say your off to phuket, sorry we no longer insure you,

[wirat69]

Let's blame Yingluck.... all her other water projects went up the spout as well.... I said "spout" not "snout"!

[hansgruber]

See them all the time on the east coast. Chalong and rawai they are common.

Sent from my LG-D858

[LivinginKata]

See them all the time on the east coast. Chalong and rawai they are common.

Sent from my LG-D858

I've never seen anything like that in Kata, Karon, Patong areas.

[Ulic]

Very cool. Wish I was there to have seen it.

[LivinginKata]

Off topic troll removed.

[Thai at Heart]

Frogs and locusts are next.

I mean what is next?

[draftvader]

Plague of chipmonks?

[stevehaigh]

i saw 3 together off the coast of Ko Phangan a few years ago,very cool