Live: Inocar issued a tsunami alert for the continental coast of Ecuador

The Oceanographic and Antarctic Institute of the Navy (Inocar) issued a tsunami alert for the continental coast of Ecuador, on the afternoon of this Saturday 15, after the volcanic eruption on Tonga Island.

This is the report presented by Inocar, with a cutoff at 4:24 p.m. this Saturday, on the behavior of the event at the national level.

Galapagos

• In Academia Bay, Santa Cruz Island, sea level variations of up to 50 centimeters have been recorded, which have remained stable for the last two hours. For this reason, Inocar ordered the cancellation of the tsunami warning in Puerto Ayora.
• The National Risk and Emergency Management Service indicated at 3:00 p.m. that the two sirens that are part of the Tsunami Early Warning System (SAT), located in Puerto Ayora, had been activated to spread the warning message, when it was announced by the Inocar.
• According to the records of the tide gauges in Santa Cruz and Baltra (Galapagos), there are currently disturbances in the sea level generated by the volcanic eruption on the island of Tonga, which arrived in the insular region at 11:43 local time.
• Tsunami watch status is maintained on the islands. Sea level disturbances may develop elsewhere in the insular region.
• The Galapagos Emergency Operations Committee (COE) is activated and coordinating actions in the face of this event.

mainland area

• The tsunami warning was issued for the Ecuadorian continental coast.
• In the canton of La Libertad, province of Santa Elena, disturbances in sea level were observed, which reached 50 centimeters, starting at 2:33 p.m. (local time) on Saturday the 15th.

Bathers evacuate beaches in various areas of Ecuador as a precaution

• In Manta, province of Manabí, and the city of Esmeraldas, sea level disturbances of up to 50 centimeters were also recorded, starting at 2:33 p.m.
• The entity announced that other locations on the continental coast could register similar disturbances of the sea.

This event is under constant monitoring by Inocar, which continues to carry out modeling and analysis procedures.

The National Risk Management Service recommended suspending maritime and recreational activities until 5:00 p.m. on the continental and insular coast. (I)