Last Wednesday a meteotsunami – smaller and faster than a normal tsuanami – flooded the town of Puerto Alcudia.
Meteotsunamis are caused by weather events or anything which rapidly changes the sea level. They are normally smaller than regular tsunamis but can still be very dangerous.
Wave Swallowed Beaches and Streets
Tourists found themselves running from the wave as it ploughed into the town.
Videos of the event show people yelling and panicking as the waters flow across the streets. On the beach boats, loungers and even bins were knocked sideways and carried away.
Locals are used to it
Those who live in the area are used to such weather events and have a warning system in place.
They also have a name for meteotsunamis. They call them “rissagas”.
Spain’s Weather Agency Explained
Spain’s weather agency, Aemet, explained how meteotsunamis form.
“Pressure variations affect sea level. If the pressure increases, the sea drops; if the pressure drops, the sea rises. The main characteristic of these rises and falls is that they occur over very short periods. In just 15 minutes the sea level can rise or fall very noticeably and then return to its normal state.”
No Injuries
There were no reported injuries or deaths from last Wednesday’s sudden wave.
This was lucky as injuries and even deaths have been caused by such waves in the past.
Are Meteotsunamis Increasing?
It is possible that climate change could drive the increase of meteotsunami occurences.
On the 18th June in 2022, several of these events were reported across northern Europe including countries such as Wales, Ireland, France and Spain.
Not the First Tsunami
Back in 2018 another tsunami caused loss of life when a German father was swept out to sea.
On that occasion it was a wave of five feet high which caused damage and destruction along the coastline of Majorica.
Freak Weather Across the World
This comes as heatwaves and wildfires occur across many parts of the world.
Places as varied as California, New Mexico and Turkey are dealing with wildfires while much of the US, the Middle East and Europe are undergoing heatwaves.
Meteotsunamis in the US
Meteotsunamis can occur almost anywhere, but there are higher frequencies in some areas.
In the US, the most common areas for meteotsunamis are Lake Michigan and the Atlantic coast.
Scientists Beginning to Understand them Better
Scientists are studying meteotsunamis in order to understand them better so that they can put better warning systems in place.
In May 2019 a world conference on meteotsunamis took place and the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory is working with others to develop a real time tsunami warning system.
