Rare waterspout tears through Hanoi street, shattering windows and ripping signs

The funnel cloud appeared at about 1:55 p.m. near Nhat Tan Bridge in Me Linh Commune, stretching from the storm clouds down to the ground before sweeping into a residential area.

Nguyen Linh, who was dining at a restaurant on Road 23B Me Linh, recalled the wind roaring outside as tree branches and storefront signs were flung across the road.

"It only lasted two minutes, but many shops over more than 100 meters were damaged," she said.

 

 

Rare waterspout tears through Hanoi street, shattering windows and ripping signs

Vòi rồng cuốn bay đồ đạc ở Hà Nội

Some restaurants lost their signs, while strong gusts overturned cupboards full of dishes. A parked car was struck by flying branches, shattering its windshield.

Residents later realized they had witnessed a waterspout: an intense, localized whirlwind that forms between the ground and storm clouds, creating a funnel shape capable of uprooting or destroying anything in its path.

The waterspout topples trees and send objects flying in Hanoi. Photo by Nguyen Linh

The capital has been drenched by heavy downpours since Typhoon Kajiki's remnants swept across northern Vietnam, with forecasters warning rain would continue through the night.