The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has activated this Wednesday the orange alert in Menorca due to significant risk of rissagaa meteorological phenomenon also known as 'meteotsunami' which is usually common on the island. Meteorology expects It will appear starting this afternoon at 6:00 p.m. and will continue throughout the day on Thursday.
The meteotsunami or rissaga is a curious coastal phenomenon that occurs in some coves and ports or bays that consists of extraordinary sea level oscillationsr that can reach 2 meters in amplitude in periods of 10 minutes, reports tutiempo.com. They are usually attributed to the passage of fronts and also to the change of air masses.
It manifests itself as a sudden drop in the water level of the port in a very short time (minutes or even seconds), which, when it is very intense, usually produces damage to ships that are moored and flooding of port infrastructure.
After a few minutes, the water suddenly returns to the port again and this causes the boats to be dragged, hitting each other or against the docks. In addition, the sudden avalanche of water can cause flooding in nearby areas, affecting parked vehicles and buildings.
According to the AEMET notice, there is a high probability that starting this Wednesday afternoon there will be a significant oscillation in sea level, reaching up to one meter.
The last rissaga of great magnitude in Ciudadela de Menorca, the most notable in the last two decades, the June 15, 2006, Meteored reports, In that event, the oscillations reached up to four meters, causing significant damage to numerous vessels.
The surprising thing about that year was that, after the rissaga in Ciudadela that caused maritime oscillations of up to four meters, A tornado struck the area, resulting in the sinking of around thirty ships and causing extensive damage to the port and adjacent buildings.. This double whammy of natural phenomena left an indelible mark on the coastal community, highlighting its fragility in the face of the combined force of nature.