Destructive meteotsunami with fatal consequences on 12 January 2026 at Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina)

A meteotsunami occurred on 12 January 2026 along the Mar del Plata coast (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina), resulting in one death, more than thirty injuries and severe coastal infrastructure damage. The meteotsunami reached maximum recorded trough-to-crest wave heights of 51 cm at Quequén Port, 107 cm at Mar del Plata Port, and 82 cm at the Mar del Plata tide gauge located outside the port, and had dominant periods ranging from about 20 to 77 min. This study presents a comprehensive oceanographic and meteorological analysis of the event using high-resolution observations, satellite and radar imagery, and ERA5 reanalysis fields. The results suggest that a meteotsunami can be generated by the interaction between the atmospheric disturbances caused by a cold front passage and the coastal ocean, potentially involving multiple resonance mechanisms. South of Mar del Plata, high-frequency pressure perturbations, associated with atmospheric gravity waves propagated northeastward with a speed of 22–25 m s−1, generating an ocean response consistent with Proudman resonance. Near Mar del Plata, the dominant forcing appears to have been linked to the alongshore translation of the frontal boundary, with conditions being favorable for edge-wave Greenspan resonance resulting in substantial amplification of propagating waves, producing persistent oscillations in coastal embayments. The results indicate that spatial variations in atmospheric forcing, coastline orientation and harbour geometry controlled the sea level response, with Proudman resonance dominating south of Mar del Plata and possible Greenspan resonance near Mar del Plata. The largest oscillations occurred between Mar del Plata and Mar Chiquita Lagoon.