A waterspout formed near Bathing Ghat No. 2 at Gangasagar in South 24 Parganas on Thursday morning, frightening residents, pilgrims, tourists and traders and prompting the local administration to advise people to move away from the beach. No damage or casualties were reported, while police increased surveillance in areas adjoining the shoreline as a precaution.
The waterspout appeared close to Kapil Muni Ashram after dark clouds suddenly covered the area. Witnesses told the Times of India that seawater began rising into the air in a swirling column at around 9.30 am. The phenomenon lasted about four to five minutes before disappearing.
The sudden event caused alarm around the bathing ghat, with several people rushing to shelter. The administration’s immediate response was to ask people to maintain a safe distance from the beach, according to the report. Police subsequently stepped up monitoring along areas near the coast.
Gangasagar is a significant pilgrimage and tourism location, and the bathing ghats bring residents, visitors, traders and religious travellers into close proximity to the shoreline. In such areas, a rapidly developing coastal weather event can create crowd-management and public-safety concerns even when it does not result in structural damage.
The incident was reported as a waterspout resembling a tornado over the sea. The supplied report does not provide a formal meteorological explanation or identify a specific weather alert associated with the event. Its account is based on observations from people present near the bathing ghat and on the precautionary actions taken by the local administration and police.
The sighting is not the first such incident reported in Sagar block. In June, two waterspouts were seen over the Hooghly river at Mahishmari after dark clouds covered the area. That earlier event also startled local residents, according to the report.
For visitors and people working near the beach, the immediate operational message remains to follow local instructions and keep away from the shoreline when authorities issue warnings or when unusual weather develops. Police surveillance near the beach is expected to continue as a precaution following Thursday morning’s incident.
