A powerful waterspout ransacked a stretch of beach near Matanzas Avenue Sunday afternoon, shattering a lifeguard tower and compelling county officials to close operations for the day.
Video of the twister’s aftermath showed the red remnants of the tower strewn across the beach along with other pieces of debris.
“Due to severe weather conditions, all Lifeguard towers will be CLOSED for the remainder of the day,” read a Facebook post shared by several county agencies.
The St. Johns County Beaches account reported that the waterspout also took out toll booths and porta-potties.
“If you’re driving on the beach today or tomorrow, please drive slowly and stay alert,” the agency said.
Waterspouts are rotating columns of water and spray formed by a whirlwind over a body of water. They dissipate in strength after hitting land and usually cause little or no damage.
Several beachgoers left the scene as the churning cylinder headed towards land, witnesses said.
There were no reported injuries.
The Citizen will update this story as details emerge.
