Hurricane Florence: Waterspout forms off Myrtle Beach shore prompting tornado warning

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As tropical storm Florence pummels the southeast coast with rain, wind, and flooding a massive waterspout has come ashore at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, prompting a tornado warning.

Videos taken by bystanders show the waterspout rapidly making its way to the 2nd Avenue pier of the beachfront, becoming a tornado funnel just blocks later.

The National Weather Service also issued a warning about the incident which took place Sunday afternoon.

It also issued warnings about more than one “severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado” in the area as well as further upshore in North Carolina.

Horry County, where the waterspout-turned-tornado-funnel was spotted, was under a tornado warning until 5pm Sunday evening.

One of the people who filmed a video of the tornado, Allan Scott, told local news station WFMY: “We had a rotation pass right over us. The I saw the waterspout coming in. Got the tornado warning while getting 60-70 mph wind and took cover under the pier.”

Concerns were raised as the waterspout made landfall in the heart of the holiday destination’s hotel district.

Most people had evacuated the area when Florence had been deemed a Category 4 storm but some were making their way back when it was downgraded to a tropical depression.

Still, high winds and rain brought flooding and damage to trees, power lines, and roads. Some homes in North Carolina were also damaged.

At least 15 people have died as a result of the storm as well.

One couple in Myrtle Beach - Mark Carter, 63, and Debra Collins Rion, 61 - died after breathing in carbon dioxide fumes when using a generator in their home during the storm.