Waterspout surprises Penang ferry passengers

GEORGE TOWN: A video of a waterspout forming in the Penang Channel had been making its rounds on Facebook.
The 2 minutes 35 seconds footage was believed to be recorded today afternoon by a passenger on the ferry which plies the island and the mainland.
The recording also showed ships in the area apparently moving away from the waterspout in a bid to avoid any negative effects.
The video had been shared more than 270 times at the time of writing while also been uploaded to video sharing site Youtube.
However, state government said they have not received any official report on this phenomena and the Meteorological Department could not be reached for comments.
The United States National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) defines a waterspout as a whirling column of air and water mist.
These natural phenomenon are associated with severe thunderstorms and often accompanied by high winds and seas.
Previous sightings this year throughout the country include Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan (Aug 8), Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (Oct 9), Alor Besar, Kedah (Oct 13), Bintulu, Sarawak (Oct 18) and Pendamaran, Klang (Oct 21).
A copy of the video, used with permission, can be viewed at http://youtu.be/W1mzj4Pm4eE