Fort Lauderdale Beach visitors encountered an uncanny yet dangerous situation this afternoon when a waterspout blew onto shore and sent a bounce house careening into the air, injuring several children.
A total of three children were injured, according to Fort Lauderdale police. Two suffered minor injuries, and one will stay at a local hospital overnight for observation.
Police officials did not release the children's names.
BuzzFeed News has reached out to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department for more information.
REF #FortLauderdale #WaterSpout (3) juveniles injured- (1) being held overnight for observation & (2) treated for minor fractures & released
Brandon Burchett was at the beach when the waterspout hit, and posted the video to his Facebook page.
The spout appeared to begin in the ocean and whirl onto land, sending the bounce house into the air before it landed on a basketball court.
Based on a National Ocean Service definition, because the vortex began in the water, the waterspout falls under the tornadic category, named after their characteristic similarity to tornadoes.
According to the NOS: "If a waterspout moves onshore, the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning, as some of them can cause significant damage and injuries to people."