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ARCHIVED - Rare Mediterranean tsunami hits Guardamar and Santa Pola!
The phenomenon affected two municipalities in the Vega Baja and Baix Vinalopo areas of Alicante
A strange meteorological phenomenon hit the coast of Guardamar del Segura and Santa Pola on Tuesday night (August 10), flooding the beach promenade and some streets with seawater.
The ‘meteotsunami’ or "rissaga" is a rare event caused by a sudden change in atmospheric pressure; first the tide recedes rapidly and then a large tsunami-like wave floods back into the coast.
According to the Climatology department of the University of Alicante, this phenomenon typically occurs in the Balearic Islands, but it has been known to happen in the Costa Blanca before.
The water level at Guardamar Port rose by around 90cm and caused problems for boats attempting to enter and exit the port due to the displacement of the buoys.
However, Santa Pola was the worst affected area and the meteotsunami caused several fishing boats to drift and flooded the beach promenade and nearby streets, even causing damage to some vehicles.
IMAGES: Policía Local Santa Pola
