In the Mariano resort, the destruction of tables, chairs, and tarps was confirmed, while in other complexes in the Faro area, the waves were so powerful that they broke the glass walls delimiting the pools. What is the scientific explanation for these phenomena? Both in 2022 and currently, experts point out that these are destructive oceanic waves originating from atmospheric pressure disturbances associated with intense storms. Scientists from the INIDEPAD Oceanography Cabinet warned that the damage could have been catastrophic if the phenomenon had coincided with the high tide scheduled for a few hours later or if the beaches had been crowded with tourists as they were today. What destruction did that previous event cause in the resorts? Despite the lack of bathers, the force of the successive waves was captured by security cameras, which showed how the water completely flooded the tent area. This event, which took place at 2:27 a.m., went almost unnoticed by the general public because the country was paralyzed by the 2022 Qatar World Cup and the imminence of the quarter-finals against the Netherlands. According to what the Noticias Argentinas agency learned, the material damage in resorts such as Mariano, Punta Mogotes, and La Restinga was severe, but no fatal victims were registered solely because the beaches were deserted due to the time of day and weather conditions. Why did the 2022 event not cause any casualties? Unlike the current phenomenon, which occurred on an afternoon of extreme heat with a thermal sensation of 40 degrees, the 2022 meteotsunami erupted during the early morning of a public holiday. CONICET researcher Federico Isla had already warned at the time that although they are not frequent in these latitudes, a sudden change in the propagation speed of a cold front can generate this type of 'meteorological tides' that turn a summer afternoon into a scene of disaster.
