Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - After receiving an alert from Segob Tuesday morning, members of the Puerto Vallarta Civil Protection, Fire and Police Departments immediately began monitoring the municipality's beaches for any sign of the mar de fondo phenomenon, an ocean swell that is gradually making its way up Mexico's Pacific coast.

Sergio Ramirez Lopez, head of Civil Protection in Puerto Vallarta reported that according to the National Meteorological System bulletin, the swell began Tuesday morning and will gradually extend from the coast of Chiapas to Cabo Corrientes. Over the course of Wednesday and Thursday, it could reach as far as the south coast of Sinaloa and Southern Baja California Peninsula with waves at heights of between 1.8 and 2.7 meters.

"It should be noted that although it is an event of lesser magnitude than that recorded last week, as a result of them breaking on the beaches, the waves along the Pacific coast could be significant," reads the document.

Municipal authorities are staying alert to any situation that represents a risk to the population in the Banderas Bay area. After patrolling Puerto Vallarta's beaches all day Tuesday, they had not detected high surf nor any other conditions that might affect beach-goers, so no warning flags had been posted by day's end.

However, it is important to remain attentive to the lifeguard's warnings as well as to the communications issued by the authorities to avoid any risk.

Ramirez Lopez explained that when red flags are flying the beach is closed due to hazardous conditions; purple warning flags warn of the presence of organisms that are harmful to human bodies (e.g. jellyfish); yellow means to use caution when swimming, and green flags mean that conditions are safe for swimming.

He asked the population to keep informed, stay alert and to report any dangerous situation or condition to authorities by dialing 066 so that any problems that may arise can be addressed immediately.