A wave taller than a five-story building rose between Malta and Sicily during Storm Harry, setting a record for the Mediterranean Sea.
Here's what to know
Times of Malta reported on a study of the January storm's coastal impact that put the Mediterranean's new single-wave record at about 54 feet (16.6 meters).
The study, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, used modeling and seismic noise analysis. Maltese and Italian researchers examined how Storm Harry affected Malta, Sicily, Sardinia, and Calabria.
"These values represent the highest wave ever documented in the Mediterranean Sea, exceeding the previous record of 14.2 meters [46.5 feet] measured during storm Gloria off the Spanish coast in January 2020," the paper's authors said.
Along Valletta's coastline, water rose by nearly 10 feet (three meters), and rain fell at about two-thirds of an inch (17 millimeters) per hour. Storm Harry hit Malta's shoreline on the evening of Jan. 18; its peak followed on Jan. 20.
A significant wave height of roughly 29 feet (8.9 meters) was reported for the period when buoys between Malta and Sicily detected the record-breaking wave — a figure that differs from the maximum height of an individual wave.
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More background
At the entrance to Marsamxett Harbour, water reached about 9.5 feet (2.9 meters) above sea level. For the Grand Harbour, researchers calculated 23% flooding, covering approximately one-third of a square mile (0.85 square kilometers), according to Times of Malta.
Outside the harbors, floodwater pushed nearly 500 feet (150 meters) inland at St George's and Balluta bays, where water rose about 3.6 feet (1.1 meters).
More than 4.3 miles (seven kilometers) of land flooded in south-eastern Sicily, making it the most heavily affected region the study examined.
Beyond threatening community safety and public health, flooding can disrupt access to homes, workplaces, and businesses, putting economic stability at risk.
Shortly before 11 a.m. on Jan. 20, another enormous wave, measuring about 43 feet (13.14 meters), was recorded near Malta's Grand Harbour. Times of Malta reported that the measurement came from buoys operated by the Oceanography Malta Research Group.
Winds reached approximately 59 mph (95 kilometers per hour), according to measurements from the University of Malta's meteorological stations.
Where can I learn more?
Other storms and unusual wave events have also sent water surging into coastal communities.
• In Rhodes, Greece, storms turned streets into rivers, and one person died after a car was swept into the sea.
• In southern Brazil, a rare meteotsunami flooded streets and dragged boats without an earthquake.
• In Crete, floodwaters collapsed part of a bridge and swept a car into a river.
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