BUENOS AIRES, Jan 14 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — One Argentine beachgoer died, and 35 others needed medical help after a rare and violent maritime phenomenon known as a meteotsunami hit the Atlantic Ocean resort of Santa Clara del Mar, some 20 kilometers north of Mar del Plata.
The gigantic wave occurred during the hottest day of the summer, with temperatures nearing 40°C, ensuring that beaches were at maximum capacity when the sea suddenly retreated and returned as a “giant mass of water.”
At approximately 3 pm, while the sea was reportedly calm with waves under half a meter, the water abruptly receded before surging forward with immense force in Santa Clara del Mar, engulfing bathers.
A 35-year-old man, reportedly residing in France and being in Argentina to visit relatives, died after being thrown against rocks by the surge. Among the 35 injured, one person suffered a heart attack during the panic.
The wave reached up to 15 meters inland in some areas, sweeping away umbrellas, chairs, and personal belongings.
Geologists and Civil Defense officials have clarified that while the event looked like a seismic tsunami, its origins were entirely atmospheric. Geologist Federico Isla told Clarín that the event was rather a so-called “virazón,” a sudden, violent shift in wind direction.
“They thought it was a tsunami, but no, it was a virazón: the wind changes and produces a meteorological tide, causing the waves to rise suddenly… It turned from the northwest to the southeast. When the wind stabilizes, it starts to go down,” the expert explained.
After the incident, authorities remain on high alert along the Atlantic Coast. — NNN-MERCOPRESS