Climate Change Set to Increase Frequency of Meteotsunamis

Experts warn that the frequency of meteotsunamis and storm surge events has increased along Turkey's coasts due to climate change, and coastal structures must be protected against these disasters. Prof. Dr. Şükrü Turan Beşiktepe, Head of the Department of Marine Sciences at Dokuz Eylül University Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology, noted that meteotsunamis occur as a result of rapid changes in atmospheric pressure, causing the displacement of water masses. Beşiktepe stated that meteotsunamis exhibit the same characteristics as tsunami waves generated by earthquakes in terms of wave properties, size, height and frequency. He said that the movements of severe storms at certain angles trigger meteotsunamis.

Beşiktepe shared the information that the Mediterranean and Black Seas are among the regions where the frequency of meteotsunamis has increased the most, and continued as follows:

"Since the tidal range in these seas is quite low, the sea level fluctuations created by meteotsunamis are immediately noticeable. The strengthened sea-atmosphere interactions due to increases in sea water temperatures create instability and sudden changes in air mass movements. These create meteotsunamis. Waves of just a few centimetres in the open sea arrive at the coast at 3-5 metres and go unnoticed before reaching shore. Their higher frequencies compared to wind waves and the fact that their amplitudes reach maximum levels at the coast make their effects more severe. Last November, waves exhibiting meteotsunami characteristics were observed in Giresun and affected the Black Sea coastal road. Similar events occurred in Trabzon and Hopa, indicating that these two regions could be hotspots vulnerable to meteotsunamis. Since they occur during periods of bad weather, we confuse them with waves generated by wind effects."

"They can cause rip currents"

Beşiktepe stated that the hotspot in the Sea of Marmara is Tekirdağ and in the Mediterranean is Alanya, noting that since the Aegean has many bays, waves enter harbour resonance and cause overflow, thus not creating direct impact. Pointing out that there has been a large increase in the number of meteotsunamis observed in the Mediterranean, particularly over the last 10 years, Beşiktepe recalled that meteotsunamis can greatly accelerate currents depending on the structure of the coast and can cause rip currents. Explaining that wind direction, water transport and pressure drop are important factors in storm surge events, Beşiktepe stated: "Climate change has increased wind intensity and altered sea-atmosphere interaction, which is why meteotsunamis and storm surges that used to occur once every 20 years now occur once every 5 years. In the coming period, we will see them every 2 years, and in 20 years, we will see them continuously."

"Developing warning systems and providing timely information to the public is important"

Prof. Dr. Cüneyt Erenoğlu, Rector of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, said: "Oceans absorb heat from the atmosphere, which causes them to expand and sea levels to rise. The melting of glaciers adds more water to the oceans. These two factors cause events like meteotsunamis and storm surges to occur more frequently and with greater severity." Erenoğlu noted that meteotsunamis and storm surges are more common in some coastal regions of Turkey and emphasized the importance of taking precautions against these events because they cause loss of life and property.

Prof. Dr. Erenoğlu shared the following information:

"These disasters pose a major risk especially to residential areas located along the coast, ports and marinas, tourist facilities and infrastructure. These are events that are difficult to predict in advance. Developing warning systems and providing timely information to the public is important. Since they can cause serious damage to coastal structures, new coastal structures can be built or existing coastal structures can be reinforced. Public education and necessary warnings can be issued to protect against loss of life and property." Noting that in the design of new structures planned for coastal areas, structural integrity and waterproofing should be prioritised by taking risks into account, and that sea walls and breakwaters should be built around these structures, Erenoğlu said: "These can help reduce the severity of the disaster. Warning systems should be installed inside and around the structure. These systems can provide advance notice of the disaster, enabling the protection of people and property."

"Measures should be taken according to the structure of each sea and coast"

Prof. Dr. Cem Gazioğlu, Director of Istanbul University Institute of Marine Sciences and Management, emphasised that extreme conditions resulting from changing climate conditions are occurring more frequently, and that their greatest impacts are seen on coasts. Underscoring that measures to counter meteotsunamis and storm surges require very serious engineering infrastructure, Gazioğlu stated: "Submerged breakwaters that will dampen the incoming wave energy need to be built rapidly and are not visible to the eye. We need to start these applications in the Mediterranean in the near future."

Noting that work should be carried out with serious oceanographic modelling, Gazioğlu recorded the following:

"Engineering applications should be implemented. The shape of the material selected is even important here because biodiversity should also benefit from this. A type of seaweed called kelp can be used. These can seriously absorb wave energy, allow water to flow more slowly, and can also be used in biodiesel production. Measures should be taken according to the structure of each sea and coast." Gazioğlu warned that if no precautions are taken, beaches in the Mediterranean face the risk of disappearing within 5-10 years, and the European side coastlines of Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara could be affected. Sharing the view that the meteotsunamis occurring in the Black Sea seriously affect the coastal road and that this problem cannot be overcome by adding more fill to the road, Gazioğlu said that solutions appropriate to the sea's rapidly deepening structure need to be developed. Prof. Dr. Gazioğlu concluded his remarks by saying: "Due to the effects of climate change, seas are rising 2 millimetres per year, and atmospheric pressure changes that rarely occurred before are now occurring frequently. We will see extreme events much more often, because the seas cannot cool down." Source