Holidaymakers were caught off guard after being hit by the seven foot tidal wave in Zandvoort, a coastal resort in the Dutch province of North Holland.
Footage shot from the balcony of an apartment shows the moment the water swept items from the sand.
According to local media, the phenomenon is so rare that it is the first time it has been so well filmed and documented.
The first reports of an approaching tidal wave of a medium height were at around 5.45am on Monday morning.