A meteotsunami struck the Buenos Aires coast on Monday, killing a 29-year-old man in Santa Clara del Mar and injuring at least 35 people. The event, marked by a wave up to five meters high after a sudden sea retreat, caused panic among tourists and residents. Authorities evacuated beaches and launched emergency operations.
The incident took place at California Beach in Santa Clara del Mar, a seaside locality in the Mar Chiquita district, during the afternoon of January 12, 2026. The sea retreated unexpectedly, followed by a giant wave that swept away swimmers and items on the sand. The fatality was identified as Yair Manno Núñez, a 29-year-old Argentine born in Mar del Plata and resident in France for eight years. He was fishing with his French partner and two friends when he was dragged against rocks, suffering a head injury that proved fatal despite resuscitation efforts.
Núñez was an internationally recognized horse rider, ranking 11th in the FEI Endurance Riders world standings in 2024. He had traveled to Argentina to visit family during the holidays. The meteotsunami, a phenomenon driven by sudden atmospheric pressure changes, also caused 35 injuries, mostly minor, and left one man hospitalized with a heart attack after being swept by the water.
Fabián García, head of Buenos Aires Province Civil Defense, confirmed the event and described it as 'a wave with a sudden height increase.' 'He was pushed by the water and hit against some rocks. These are rare and hard-to-predict phenomena,' he told TN. Witnesses recounted the chaos: 'The sea retreated for a few minutes and when it came back, it took everything,' according to statements to TN. Lifeguard Maximiliano Prensky described a 'black whirlpool' and estimated about 5,000 swimmers in the water, hindering evacuation despite whistle alerts.
Authorities ordered the full evacuation of beaches in the area and in Mar del Plata, 20 kilometers away, where the impact was felt. This event resembles one from two years ago in Mar del Plata, but at night, avoiding casualties. Experts like TN meteorologist Marina Fernández explained that meteotsunamis differ from seismic tsunamis due to their atmospheric origin and are unpredictable on Argentina's Atlantic coast. Civil Defense advised precautions in coastal areas amid adverse conditions.
