December 27, 2024 Tsunami: Peru-Ecuador-Chile

Various news reports (e.g., reference #13876) incorrectly indicate a tsunami struck the coast of Peru on 27 December.

Reference #13877:

A deadly swell struck Peru’s northern coastline triggering tsunami-like waves that ravaged local communities and forced 75 percent of the nation’s ports to close, potentially devastating local economies. The over 13-feet waves crashed onto the shores of Lobitos, Mancora, and Cabo Blanco – 700 miles north of Peru’s capital Lima – Friday from around midday, according to local reports.

Two people were reported to have died in Ecuador's southwestern Manta region and a 30-year-old man was found dead at a beach in Chile – no deaths have been reported in Peru, according to AFP. The extreme weather phenomenon came the day after Peru declared an environmental emergency following a shipment from state oil firm Petroperu on December 21 that sent 10,000 square meters of crude oil spilling into the sea, reported Reuters.

Reference #13878, #13879:

INDECI (Spanish acronym for Peru's National Institute of Civil Defense) declared the abnormal swells would continue until 01 January.

Reference #13880:

Ecuador's secretary for risk management, Jorge Carillo, told a media conference that an "extreme event" was occurring and warned that similar phenomena could be expected in the future.

He forecast that the big waves "will continue in coming days," but expected them to calm somewhat from Monday, and to return more to normal in the first days of January.

The waves, according to the Peruvian navy, are being generated off the US coast by winds along the ocean's surface.

Many fishing boats were damaged, while those that were spared were still unable to work in the dangerous conditions. "We need help from authorities. Here, we've lost some 100 boats," one fisherman told TV Peru. "I'm 70 years old and I've never seen such unusual and strong waves," he said. Thirty-one fishermen stranded in the swell were rescued Saturday afternoon by the navy, while one told local radio that around 180 more remained at sea.