Men filming the powerful currents of a river filled with melting ice were shocked to see a rare natural phenomenon: a large and powerful whirlpool. While most people have seen a whirlpool before, the average whirlpool is not nearly as strong nor as potentially destructive as this one.
The men were hiking in Dviete, Latvia on the Daugava River when they noticed and began filming the whirlpool. At first it began as a small normal whirlpool, but it quickly gained power and began sucking everything in nearby waters down its hole. Chunks of melting ice, debris, and other objects were pulled into the tornado-like vortex.
Many of us are most familiar with the whirlpools that form when a plug is pulled from a bathtub or sink full of water. A natural whirlpool is caused by a similar phenomenon. Rapid currents from two different directions meet to form the vortex, which is similar to the air phenomenon that creates tornadoes. As the whirlpool gains in strength, it can suck in increasingly larger objects, even swimmers or boats.
Most whirlpools are harmless and not capable of damage. However, an unusually strong one will form occasionally and create a dangerous situation for any people who happen to be in nearby waters. Luckily, these Latvian men were smart enough to put off their swim for another day!