The municipality of Jaguaruna, on the south coast of Santa Catarina, recorded, in the early hours of this Monday (2), a rare natural phenomenon: a meteorological tsunami. According to the state’s civil defense, the sea advanced suddenly and traveled a long distance towards the continent.
The monitoring center located at the Balneário Rincão tide gauge station recorded an increase of one meter in sea level in just a few minutes. “The event occurred under unusual conditions, as meteorological models did not indicate high tide or sea disturbances,” highlighted civil defense.
In a note, the agency detailed that the phenomenon was caused by an intense instability line present in the region at that time. “These lines, formed by aligned storms, generate sudden changes in atmospheric pressure and strong winds. This set of factors creates pressure pulses that propagate in the ocean, amplifying the waves as they approach the coast.”
Despite being classified as rare, other meteorological tsunamis, according to civil defense, have already been recorded on the south coast of Santa Catarina, especially in the spring period – the most recent occurred in November last year, in the municipality of Laguna.
“Fortunately, this morning’s event did not cause significant damage or injuries. The authorities reinforce the importance of constantly monitoring weather conditions and raising awareness among the population on how to act in similar situations”, concluded the statement.
