Can waterspouts destroy homes on land?

It is unlikely, but possible. Waterspouts can move on to land and cause damage, in which case they are considered tornadoes. However, waterspouts are weak compared to ordinary tornadoes, rarely exceeding EF0 strength. An EF0 tornado will cause no mare than superficial damage to most homes. Some occasionally reach EF1 intensity, which will not destroy a home unless it is very poorly constructed.

In some instances, an ordinary tornado can touch down on or move onto water as a tornadic waterspout. These are just as strong as their land-based counterparts and can cause significant damage when they hit land.