Santa Marta and Cartagena de Indias announced they indefinitely closed their beaches due to a strong, heavy swell phenomenon hitting the Colombian Caribbean. The event, linked to a cold front from the Northern Hemisphere, has generated waves of up to 4 meters high, intense winds, and dangerous conditions for swimmers and navigation.
Due to the persistence of bad weather, authorities have issued a red flag warning, restrictions on navigation for small vessels, and the total closure of the most frequented coastal areas.
The measure, which affects thousands of tourists and residents, aims to prevent accidents, maritime rescues, and damage to people and coastal infrastructure.
Beaches are closed and navigation is restricted in Santa Marta and Cartagena, Colombia
In Cartagena, the Mayor’s Office and the Port Authority have ordered the total closure of all urban, rural, and island beaches, with no set date for reopening. Beaches such as Bocagrande, Marbella, and Playa Blanca are under a red flag, which prohibits entering the sea and requires bathers to stay out of the water.
Authorities have also implemented navigation restrictions for small vessels, given the high risk that the waves pose to speedboats, small boats, and jet skis. Official reports indicate wave heights between 3 and 4 meters, accompanied by sustained winds between 46 and 55 km/h, which have even caused urban flooding and power outages in some coastal areas.
@dariopachecoa Mar de leva en Cartagena #mardeleva ♬ Sea Of Tranquility – Stive Morgan
In Santa Marta, closures have also been strictly enforced. Tourist beaches such as El Rodadero, Taganga, and Playa Los Cocos have been closed to the public and marked with red flags. The strong waves caused a ship to run aground at Playa Los Cocos, requiring rescue and emergency response teams to intervene to prevent further damage.
@ultimahoramagdalena Así está el mar en #SantaMarta por el frente frío que impacta a #Colombia, especialmente a ciudades de la Región Caribe. #lluvia #mar #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp ♬ Epic News – DM Production
Bad weather has also led to reinforced control operations along the Atlantic coast, including Barranquilla and other coastal municipalities, where dangerous wave conditions and navigation restrictions have also been reported.
@yarle050412 mar de leva en Puerto Colombia por el fenómeno "frente frío"
What is heavy swell and how long could it last?
Heavy swell is an ocean phenomenon characterized by strong and persistent waves, usually generated far from the coast by high- or low-pressure systems, cold fronts, or offshore storms. Unlike waves generated locally by wind, heavy swell reaches the coast with great energy and can persist even when there are no strong winds directly over the affected area.
In this case, the phenomenon is associated with a cold front from the Northern Hemisphere that has altered maritime weather conditions in the Colombian Caribbean. Meteorological and maritime authorities have indicated that this heavy swell could persist through much of February 2026, depending on the evolution of the atmospheric system causing it.
Risk management agencies have explained that these events tend to last several weeks, especially when sustained high-pressure systems are present over the Atlantic. Therefore, residents and tourists are advised to take extreme precautions, avoid proximity to the water, not enter the sea, and follow instructions from lifeguards and coast guards.