A series of powerful waves, reaching heights of up to four meters, has struck the coastlines of Ecuador, Chile, and Peru, resulting in at least three deaths and the closure of dozens of ports.
In Ecuador, two fatalities were reported in the southwestern Manta region. Further south, in Chile, a third death was confirmed as the violent swells crashed into the coastline.
The waves also wreaked havoc in Peru, where three-quarters of the country’s ports were shut down to prevent further damage. The country’s Navy successfully rescued about 30 fishermen who had been stranded at sea for two days due to the giant waves. Many of the fishermen had difficulty returning their boats to Acapulco beach in the northern Tumbes region.
Jaime Yacila, the mayor of Contralmirante Villar in Tumbes, explained that some fishermen were so desperate to protect their boats that they sped up rescue operations. “They did not want to lose their boats,” Yacila said. The powerful waves caused many boats to capsize, and port closures were enforced as a precautionary measure.
Peru’s Defence Minister Walter Astudillo monitored the rescue efforts from a helicopter surveying the affected areas.
Authorities have attributed the extreme waves to strong and persistent winds blowing off the coast of the United States, with expectations that the conditions will improve by Wednesday.
