Rare double waterspout hits western Sicily, flipping cars and damaging buildings
On Friday 9 October, a rare pair of waterspouts came ashore near Marsala in western Sicily and moved inland. The tornadoes damaged buildings, vehicles and farmland, and two people were injured.
A rare double waterspout, which is a tornado that forms over water, came ashore near the town of Marsala in western Sicily, Italy, on Friday 9 October. After reaching land, the two swirling columns moved inland and damaged buildings, vehicles and farmland.
How events unfolded
The two columns formed over the sea close to Marsala's port. They then reached the coast and travelled towards the surrounding Trapani area. The storm left a trail of damage across the coastal zone, and emergency services were responding to the aftermath.
Casualties and damage
In Marsala's Terrenove district, the Alcide De Gasperi school was severely damaged. In nearby Petrosino, the tornado struck a car and threw it into a ravine. The two people inside were injured and taken to hospital.
Footage filmed from the Biscione seafront in Petrosino, near Sibiliana, shows the tornado approaching the mainland from the sea.
The source does not give a total number of injured people, the full extent of the damage or any subsequent measures, so those questions remain open.
