Rare Elephant-Trunk-Shaped Waterspout Forms Off Odisha's Puri Coast
2 hours agoGeneric
31LENS
2 SourcesOdisha, India
TBNthebalanced.news

Rare Elephant-Trunk-Shaped Waterspout Forms Off Odisha's Puri Coast

A rare waterspout resembling an elephant's trunk, locally called 'Hatisunda,' was observed off Odisha's Astaranga coast near Puri amid stormy weather on Saturday. The funnel-shaped column descended from dark clouds to the sea, creating a visible swirling vortex. The Meteorological Department linked the event to unstable conditions over the Bay of Bengal and advised caution for fishermen. Tourists and locals captured the unusual phenomenon, which is a rotating column of air and water mist formed over water bodies.

Political Bias
0%100%0%
Sentiment
60%
AI analysis of 2 sources · Published under editorial oversight by The Balanced News
Analysed 12 May 2026· How this analysis is produced· Editorial standards· Corrections

AI Analysis

Political bias across 2 sources
● Left 0%● Center 100%● Right 0%

The articles present a straightforward meteorological event without political framing. Coverage focuses on eyewitness accounts, scientific explanations, and official weather department statements. Both sources emphasize the natural phenomenon and safety advisories, reflecting neutral reporting without partisan perspectives or political implications.

Sentiment — Neutral (60/100)

The tone across the articles is largely neutral to mildly positive, highlighting the rarity and visual impact of the waterspout that fascinated tourists and locals. The coverage includes scientific context and safety warnings, balancing awe with caution. There is no negative or sensational language, resulting in an informative and measured sentiment.

How 2 sources covered this story

Each source's own headline, political lean, and sentiment — so you can see framing differences at a glance.

SourceTheir headlineBiasSentiment
economictimesNear Odisha's Puri, a rare elephant trunk-like waterspout emerges from the sea. Tourists stunned. How does it form?CenterNeutral
ndtvWatch: Rare Waterspout Forms Off Odisha's Puri Coast, Stuns TouristsCenterNeutral

Coverage timeline

ndtv broke this story on 11 May, 05:29 pm. Other outlets followed.

  1. 1
    ndtv11 May, 05:29 pm
    Watch: Rare Waterspout Forms Off Odisha's Puri Coast, Stuns Tourists
  2. 2
    economictimes12 May, 02:37 am
    Near Odisha's Puri, a rare elephant trunk-like waterspout emerges from the sea. Tourists stunned. How does it form?

Lens Score breakdown

31/100
Public interest0/100
Coverage gap100%

Well-covered story — coverage matches public importance.

Who's involved

Institutions and figures named across source coverage.

Government
India Meteorological DepartmentAndhra Pradesh State Disaster Management AuthorityMeteorological Department

Story context

Category
Generic
Location
Odisha, India
Sources analysed
2
Last analysed
12 May 2026
Key entities
WaterspoutBay of BengalOdishaVortexPuri districtPuriElephantNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNDTVLow-pressure areaTornadoThunderstorm