Old video of waterspout from Cyprus falsely attributed to cyclone Biparjoy

Context

A video showing a waterspout is being widely shared on social media as cyclone Biparjoy. The video was shared by several users with the caption, “Cyclone reaching #Kutch slowly.”

The cyclone, which was brewing over the Arabian Sea for several days, made landfall in coastal areas of Gujarat on Thursday. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone has now moved from sea to land and is centred towards Sauarashtra-Kutch. The department has also changed its category from “very severe” to “severe”. As the storm intensified, social media was flooded with unrelated pictures and videos linking them to the cyclone. 

In Fact

The video is not related to Biparjoy and shows a waterspout swirling close to a beach in Cyprus in October 2022. A reverse image search on one of the frames of the viral video led us to the same video posted by Fox Weather on YouTube on October 18, 2022, with the title, “Massive Waterspout Swirls Onto Cyprus Beach.” The description of the video stated, “A massive waterspout that was swirling offshore in Cyprus made its way onto the beach. Luckily, no one was injured”. 

The video was also uploaded on TikTok by Fox Weather, stating that the waterspout was seen at the Aiya Napa beach in Cyprus on October 17, 2022. A USA Today report confirmed the incident. 

Waterspouts are “columns of rotating, cloud-filled winds” which are similar to tornadoes but are comparatively smaller and less intense. They are distinctly different from cyclones, which are usually associated with high-speed winds, rain and stormy weather.

The Verdict

The video shows a waterspout at the Ayia Napa Beach in Cyprus on October 17, 2022, and is not related to Biparjoy. Hence, we have marked this claim as false.