Shock moment tourists flee as TORNADO smashes into Italian beach sending parasols flying into the air

The Irish Sun

2 days ago

THIS is the shocking moment a tornado barrelled into a packed Italian beach - sending parasols hurtling into the sky as panicked tourists ran for their lives.
Wild footage captured the terrifying twister tearing across the shore in Maccarese, north of Rome.
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Shocking video footage captured the moment tourists were forced to leave an Italian beach after a tornado hit
Credit: Facebook/Fregene Beach
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Sunseekers in Maccarese held on to their belongings as parasols were sent into the sky
Credit: Facebook/Fregene Beach
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Separate footage captured near the Delta del Po showed a pair of giant waterspouts
Credit: Facebook/Emilia Romagna Meteo
Dozens of stunned sunseekers were seen sprinting across the sand as the swirling column of wind ripped umbrellas out of the ground and flung them into the air like darts.
Terrified locals and tourists clutched their bags and beach gear to their chests while desperately fleeing the chaos on Sunday.
Sand and parasols swirled high above their heads, creating a dizzying vortex over the beachfront as the tornado carved through the scene.
Incredibly, some beachgoers refused to budge — staying glued to their loungers even as the winds whipped towels and belongings across the sand.
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At least one woman suffered minor injuries, according to local reports, and required medical attention after the whirlwind struck.
But the drama was far from over.
Around 1pm that same day, another violent weather spectacle was caught on camera off Italy's east coast.
A pair of towering waterspouts spun out of a thunderstorm near the Delta del Po, stunning locals and halting boat tours.
Watch moment towering waterspout tornado slams into beach sending bathers fleeing running and hurling tables & chairs
One tour boat operator paused his excursion to capture the rare double phenomenon which saw the twin columns "dance" across the sea.
The Emilia-Romagna Meteo Facebook page later shared the eerie footage, showing the watery spires forming, folding, and merging during the storm.
Waterspouts — tornado-like funnels that form over water — aren't unheard of in Europe, with around 500 recorded each year.
But locals were warned this week to brace for more.
A moderate wind warning was issued by Italy's Meteorological Service on Monday, cautioning residents of "moderate intensity weather phenomena" in the north.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms are also forecast to hammer the Marche and Umbria regions through late Monday morning.
Last year, a towering waterspout tornado crashed into a packed-out beach on Italy's Adriatic coast.
Holidaymakers in Salento were sent into a frenzy as the massive waterspout hurtled toward the San Cataldo, Torre Specchia, and San Foca marinas.
Videos showed the menacing spout churning out of dark clouds and charging at the beach, tossing deckchairs, tables and even jet skis into the air.
Panic erupted as families bolted from the shoreline.
One clip showed beachgoers fleeing up a flight of steps just before the spout slams into the sand, leaving a trail of wreckage behind.
Bins, umbrellas, and sunbeds were scattered across the beach like toys.