Enormous Rogue Waves Pummel Isolated U.S. Army’s Base in the Pacific

Extreme waves from the recent expansion have strongly impacted a joint revenue channel located in the Marshall Islands,

Causing a dire warning from experts who suggest this could portend more severe coastal behavior in the future. The affected area, Roi-Nemours, located in the Kwajalein Atoll in the northern Marshall Islands, was inundated by one-third by sea water.

The U.S. Army Garrison-Kwajalein Atoll Base, a critical space and missile defense testing area for the U.S. Department of Defense, sustained heavy damage in several locations at the only base with some of the U.S. military’s most discreet tracking equipment that was breached on the beaches. . Initial aerial damage assessment conducted by the US Army revealed the extent of the damage caused by these extreme waves.

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This still from a video shows The moment a wave ripped: Erik Hanson

Joe Senkevich, head of the Ocean Applications Branch of NOAA’s Ocean Prediction Center, emphasized the unique magnitude of these waves, which were much larger than the average size of waves that typically hit the island’s shores. He explained that the effect of such waves can be doubled when two different wave sets combine in an area, thereby doubling the energy in a specific area. This increases the vulnerability of coastal areas to unexpected and even more severe events, necessitating careful monitoring and adaptation measures in the face of changing conditions.

Senkevich elaborated on variations in wave height, noting that the height of a typical wave could be twice that of some background waves. This height difference gave rise to the twisting force observed at Roi-Nemours. According to the army’s allegations

 

Cellphone video taken from inside a restaurant inside an Army base showed the force of a large wave, followed by another wave, which pushed down the restaurant’s doors as customers inside attempted to eat. To protect tables.

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US military buildings damaged by the rogue waves on Kwajalein Atoll, January 21, 2024.             (US Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll)             


There are a number of factors contributing to the positive realization of the rapidly increasing lethal power of waves. Senkevich claimed that sea level rise could be a contributor to the rapid rise of this wave and cause it to become more frequent in the future. In the Marshall Islands, which is likely to feel the direct effects of climate change, rising sea levels are said to cause powerful and destructive waves and more flooding in coastal areas.

 

The likelihood of these waves growing rapidly in coastal areas is a function of several other factors, such as coastal profile, weather conditions and tidal cyclonic conditions. Other causes could include changes in bathymetry (water depth) from precipitation, Senkevich also said.

 

In response to the accident, the Army evacuated 80 people from Roi-Nemours. This was followed by a meeting of 60 people, at the behest of the Army, with the top priorities being to focus on improving the situation to assess the damage and help restore basic services.

 

While contractors prepare for a possible increase in such events in winter areas, Senkevich warned beachcombers, informing them to remain alert if they begin to notice variations in the size of the waves. This cautionary advice seeks to increase public awareness and awareness in the face of time-changing environmental activities and extreme weather events.

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