A FLURRY of big waves slammed into Myanmar’s coast at Kyaukphyu township in Rakhine State last month, sweeping away 40 fishing boats but causing no injuries, said a spokesperson from the Kyaukphyu branch of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

He said a series of waves about 3 metres (10 feet) high hit the coast at the village of Zin Chaung, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Kyaukphyu, at 4am on February 21.

Of the 40 boats affected by the waves, 25 have been recovered, he said, with 12 in good condition and 13 suffering some damage.

The department is currently investigating the cause of the waves but the predominant theory is that they were set off by an undersea landslide, the spokesperson said.

A cost estimate of the damage caused by the waves was not available at press time.