Rip Current — Belau, Guam

2024-12-22 · Belau, Guam

Event narrative

According to a news article in the Islands Times, a newspaper in Palau, two men from Ngaraard went fishing of the east side of island when their kayak overturned Some time after noon. One man, 32 years old, was swept out to sea, while the other, age not given, grabbed onto a buoy within the channel. The man who grabbed the buoy eventually decided not to fight the strong currents and drifted out of channel, but later was swept back over the reef and he was able to get back to shore early in the evening. The 32 year old man was never found and assumed lost. Altimetry and buoy data near Palau reported seas around 7 to 8 feet with a mixed east swell and secondary NNW swell.

Wider weather episode

A kayak capsized off the east coast of Ngaraard, Palau near the village of Elab. Strong currents within Ngedub Channel pulled the fisherman out into the open ocean.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1228895. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.