The force of Hurricane Irma is so strong it has sucked all sign of water away from beaches in the Bahamas as it heads towards the US mainland.
Pictures and video of the weather phenomenon having been posted on social media and show beaches that would usually have several feet of water completely dry.
People were filmed walking on sand on Long Island in the Caribbean island that would usually be covered by the sea.
The strange occurrence is caused by the hurricane’s strength drawing water towards its centre.
Angela Fritz, the Washington Post’s deputy weather editor, wrote: ‘Basically, Hurricane Irma is so strong and its pressure is so low, it’s sucking water from its surroundings into the core of the storm.
She added: ‘Low pressure is basically a sucking mechanism — it sucks the air into it, and when it’s really low, it can change the shape of the surface of the ocean.
‘In any case, this isn’t the sign of a tsunami. The water will return to Long Island, and it probably won’t rush back with any great force. It will probably be back by Sunday afternoon.’
So far the storm has killed at least 20 people and is due to hit Florida’s mainland on Sunday morning and then move up its west coast.
