False Tsunami Alarm in Pacific
On Wednesday, 3 pilots reported sighting gigantic waves in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Costa Rica. Many people in coastal areas of Honduras and Costa Rica evacuated low lying areas and some hotel guests were thinking of departing. Most fears were based on the idea that the waves could be a warning of a tsunami.
While the waves were confirmed, they presented no danger and dissipated as they approached the coast. These waves are natural and created by an accumulation of energy between the ocean and the atmosphere, they commonly occur between December and February, although this is the first time they have been seen without the aid of special equipment.
The waves were between 2 and 6 kilometers long and 1 to 1.5 meters high. They present no danger to fishing vessels or people on the coast, but can affect marine life. The alarms were mostly in the area between Quepos and Parrita, with some people evacuating and others leaving work to attend to their families.