On Saturday, a spectacular waterspout occurred off the Astaranga shore in the Puri district of Odisha, captivating both tourists and locals. A lengthy funnel that resembled an elephant's trunk plummeted from the sky toward the water while black clouds gathered over the sea, creating a swirling vortex. The Meteorological Department encouraged fishermen to exercise caution, claiming that the phenomena was brought on by erratic weather in the Bay of Bengal.
This phenomena is called "Hatisunda" (Elephant's Trunk) in the local dialect. Witnesses reported that the weather abruptly turned stormy on Saturday afternoon as heavy, rain-filled clouds collected over the sea. In a matter of moments, a long, funnel-shaped column started to move down from the clouds toward the surface of the ocean.

A whirling vortex developed on the water's surface right beneath the column, which resembled an elephant's trunk. Crowds rapidly assembled, and several started using their cell phones to record the unusual event.
A Waterspout: What Is It?
This phenomena is referred to as a waterspout in meteorology. It is a strong, revolving column of air that forms above big reservoirs, lakes, or oceans. When warm, humid air rises quickly and mixes with an unstable atmospheric environment beneath storm clouds, a waterspout is created.
Occasionally, during times of atmospheric instability in the Bay of Bengal, such phenomena are seen along the coast of Odisha. Fishermen and boat operators have been cautioned by experts to stay vigilant as soon as such a system starts to emerge at sea.