Rare 'Elephant Trunk' Waterspout Over Chilika Lake Leaves Tourists Panicked

A calm Friday morning at Odisha’s Chilika Lake turned dramatic when a tall, tornado-like column of mist suddenly rose from the water, surprising hundreds of tourists near the famous Kalijai Temple.

The

spinning funnel appeared out of nowhere, twisting between the lake and the clouds before fading within minutes. Shocked visitors shouted in surprise—some ran for safety, while others quickly took out their phones to record the rare scene, according to a report by NDTV.

Videos of the breathtaking sight—a tall, whirling column reflected on the vast lagoon—have since gone viral across social media, drawing fascination and disbelief in equal measure.

Locals called it a “Haathisundh”, meaning elephant’s trunk, for its long, curving shape that seemed to reach down from the heavens. “It looked like the lake had come alive,” said one onlooker, describing the moment as both “terrifying and beautiful,” according to the outlet.

A Rare Meteorological Wonder

Experts later confirmed that what appeared over Chilika was a waterspout—a rare cousin of the tornado that forms over large water bodies.

“The phenomenon observed over Chilika was a waterspout. These are similar to tornadoes but occur only over water,” explained Biswajit Sahoo, a meteorologist with the Odisha regional centre.

“They’re common in parts of North America but very unusual in India, especially over inland lakes.”