QUITO, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Some 40 beaches in Ecuador, including four on the Galapagos Islands, have been affected by strong waves up to 2.6 meters high coming from the northwestern Pacific Ocean, the Risk Management Secretariat of Ecuador said Tuesday.

The phenomenon has existed since Sunday, according to an alert issued by the Oceanographic and Antarctic Institute of the Navy (Inocar), indicating that the waves would be felt more intensely in the seas off the Galapagos Islands from Monday and off the continental coast from Tuesday.

Inocar recommended caution throughout the coastline and mainly on all beaches.

Meanwhile, ECU 911, an Ecuadorian integrated security service closely monitoring the situation, said so far no one has been affected by the phenomenon.