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Why climate change could make Mediterranean atmospheric ‘meteotsunamis’ more commonA meteotsunami is a form of tsunami generated by atmospheric conditions, and it can strike any coastline adjacent to a sea floor with a long, shallow shelf. They are not as massive, nor as well-known, as ordinary tsunamis, which are caused by earthquakes in the ocean floor, and they are more localised. But they can damage property and endanger human life.
Rogue waves that strike without warning across the Mediterranean and elsewhere may become more frequent as the climate changes, early-stage research suggests.
A meteotsunami is a form of tsunami generated by atmospheric conditions, and it can strike any coastline adjacent to a sea floor with a long, shallow shelf. They are not as massive, nor as well-known, as ordinary tsunamis, which are caused by earthquakes in the ocean floor, and they are more localised. But they can damage property and endanger human life.
A meteotsunami in the harbour of Ciutadella on the Spanish island of Menorca in 2006, for example, sent yachts crashing into each other and then dumped them on the harbour floor as it drained away, causing tens of millions of euros in damage. Meteotsunamis also feature in local legends – one meteotsunami in sixteenth century Croatia swept away the bridge that linked two sides of a village bringing them to their senses over a feud that had arisen between them.