The Return Of The Seiches: High Sea Levels Drag Van Into Xemxija Sea Due To ‘Atmospheric Tsunami’
The seiche waves are back – and this time round, they brought a considerable amount of damage with them, after a van was dragged to the bottom of the Xemxija sea last night and multiple cars were affected.
A phenomenon, known as the seiches, an atmospheric tsunami, or il-Milgħuba in Maltese, hit Malta’s shores and coastlines this morning as seawater rose to much higher levels than we normally see them at.
Multiple posts on social media raised alarms over a white van that ended up at the bottom of the seabed in Xemxija after the sea levels rose considerably during the early hours of the morning.
Photos taken in Marsaskala also showed the moment that the wheels of many cars were submerged in the water, as the sea level rose to places where cars were parked.
The waves hit at around 2.30am, and they were rising at least a metre each time, mostly affecting Marsaskala and Xemxija, It-Temp Madwarna explained.
In multiple videos, the sea can be seen sloshing back and forth, with the event lasting for around two hours in its entirety.
This phenomenon, which mostly occurs in the Mediterranean Sea, is definitely not a cause for alarm, even though it can bring damage to cars. It has nothing to do with tsunamis or earthquakes, and it’s a fairly normal occurrence, even in good weather.
The last time it reportedly hit Malta, was exactly one year ago, on 30th June 2022.
“Seiches are typically caused when strong winds and rapid changes in atmospheric pressure push water from one end of a body of water to the other,” National Ocean Service explains.
“When the wind stops, the water rebounds to the other side of the enclosed area. The water then continues to oscillate back and forth for hours or even days. In a similar fashion, earthquakes, tsunamis, or severe storm fronts may also cause seiches along ocean shelves and ocean harbours.”
Image credit: Mary Runza
Have you ever spotted this phenomenon?
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