Waterspout spotted near East Coast Park area on Saturday afternoon
SINGAPORE — A waterspout was spotted in the waters near East Coast Park on Saturday afternoon (Aug 6).
According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), an average of three occurrences of waterspouts have been reported over Singapore waters yearly.
Waterspouts can occur at any time of the year, but they are more likely to happen in Singapore between March and October when intense thunderstorm formation is highly possible, said the NEA.
In waters off Singapore, the speed of the movement of the waterspouts over water could be up to 28 km/h. Waterspouts tend to have a short life cycle of up to tens of minutes and they usually dissipate rapidly upon reaching the coast, wrote the NEA.
Although waterspouts are generally weaker and not as powerful and destructive as tornados, temporary wind gust of 40-80 km/h can be expected, the NEA wrote. This can still pose a danger or cause damage to vessels close to the vortex or within the area.
In addition, with the presence of intense thunderstorms in the vicinity, lightning, strong winds and flash floods can be expected and the necessary safety precautions should be taken, warned the NEA.
More information about waterspouts in Singapore can be found on the NEA's website.
