With tons of rock and rubble precariously perched high above a nearby fjord, ready to crash into the sea, the town’s present is shaped by both its past and its preparations for an uncertain future. The earthquake had a depth of about 25 miles. The data are still being processed. Reserved. When do states certify their election results? An advisory was put in place Monday afternoon for the Hawaiian islands, but again there were no reports of large waves or any damage. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com. This earthquake is considered an aftershock of the July event. The craggy alpine region of south-central Alaska is already thawing dramatically. A biker leads a line of cars driving off the Homer Spit at about on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, in Homer, Alaska after a tsunami evacuation order was issued for low-lying areas in Homer. That earthquake—which killed 13 people in the town and caused $10 million worth of damage—still occupies Whittier’s memory. Another less obvious symptom of climate change also increases the landslide risk. When there’s more water in the atmosphere, precipitation becomes more intense. “My idea was to just blast it down and duck,” he says. “The resulting tsunami reached elevations of … Smaller landslides might be able to be stabilized from the bottom up. All Rights In 1964, the Good Friday earthquake was followed by three colossal waves, each more than 25 feet tall, that crushed waterfront infrastructure, lifting and twisting rail lines and dragging them back to sea. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 1:54 p.m. PT some 56 miles southeast of Sand Hill and nearly 600 miles southwest of Anchorage. Last Updated: 22nd November, 2020 01:38 IST Climate Change Could Lead To Landslide-triggered Tsunami In Alaska: Scientists In Alaska, climate change is intensifying the tsunami threat, which will likely be caused by melting glaciers that are currently holding on to the mountains. A biker leads a line of cars driving off the Homer Spit at about on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, in Homer, Alaska after a tsunami evacuation order was issued for low-lying areas in Homer. On July 21, at 10:12 p.m. local time, a magnitude 7.8 undersea earthquake struck ~65 miles south-southeast of the small town of Perryville, Alaska. Published May 14, 2020 Updated May … Peter is a news and homepage editor based in Southern California. Mr. Fountain is a science writer and the author of “The Great Quake,” about Alaska’s deadly 1964 earthquake. Juneau, Alaska (AP) -- A magnitude 7.5 earthquake prompted a tsunami warning Monday for a nearly thousand-mile stretch of Alaska’s southern … (Michael Armstrong/Homer News via AP) November 12, 2020 Landslide along Alaskan fjord could trigger tsunami by Laura Arenschield, The Ohio State University The Barry Arm glacier near … A map of the magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck southwest of Sitka on Nov. 23, 2020 (Source: Alaska Earthquake Center) A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck about 30 … Between 2009 and 2015, Barry Glacier retreated past the bottom edge of the landslide, and the slope fell 600 feet. A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the Alaska Peninsula on Monday afternoon, triggering a tsunami warning in the region. October 20, 2020 / 7:48 AM / CBS News A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the Alaska Peninsula on Monday afternoon, triggering a tsunami warning in the region. From the air, he conducted a lidar survey, using a laser scanner to measure the topography of the slide area in fine detail, calculating how the landslide has moved and changed since June. Higman notes that rain, even more than earthquakes, is prone to triggering landslides. Read: A major earthquake in the Pacific Northwest looks even likelier. Pequeño tsunami en Alaska y órdenes de evacuación tras un terremoto de magnitud 7,5 Por Steve Almasy , Dave Alsup , Andy Rose 22:03 ET(03:03 GMT) 19 octubre, 2020 “It’s a new, emerging hazard, and that’s why it’s urgent to do an assessment of where we have these unstable slopes and where they are a hazard to people,” Liljedahl says. Once-frozen slabs of rock, dirt, and ice are releasing trapped liquids and becoming more prone to sliding down mountains. First published on October 19, 2020 / 6:29 PM. While it’s still possible to avert or mitigate many of the worst impacts of climate change, there really isn’t an option to eliminate landslide-generated tsunamis. October 20, 2020 / 7:48 AM Harriman Fjord is located approximately 60 miles east of Anchorage, and is situated on the southern edge of Alaska—a tsunami generated in the … NOW THEREFORE, I, Mike Dunleavy, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ALASKA, do hereby proclaim March 22 – 28, 2020 as: Tsunami Preparedness Week in Alaska, and encourage all Alaskans to become aware of, and prepared for, a tsunami hazard in their local areas, as we remember how Alaskans and others across the world have been affected by tsunamis in the past. In mid-October, Gabriel Wolken—the manager of the Climate and Cryosphere Hazards Program for the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys—took a helicopter to Barry Arm. The National Tsunami Warning Center … Posted: Oct 19, 2020 / 02:13 PM PDT / Updated: Oct 19, 2020 / 02:38 PM PDT SAND POINT, Alas. Copyright © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Then came warnings of a potentially devastating tsunami. The Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami warning was in effect for South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula, Pacific coasts from Kennedy Entrance, Alaska … The October 2020 Alaska Peninsula earthquake was a magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck 97 km south southeast from the city of Sand Point, Alaska.It came almost three months after a magnitude 7.8 struck the same region. Melting ice has left one small town on the brink of disaster. Be in the know. As the glacier retreated, so did the slope’s support system—dragging the rock face downward toward the ocean, leaving a distinct, zig-zagging indentation in the hillside. Kelly Bender and her husband, Mike, rely on summer tourism in Prince William Sound. On May 14, an Alaska Department of Natural Resources press release and a public letter from 14 scientists warned locals of a possible landslide-generated tsunami. This summer, however, coronavirus travel restrictions put a damper on tourism in the usually buzzing port. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Your official U.S. government weather forecasts, warnings, meteorological products for forecasting the weather, tsunami hazards, and information about seismology. The first earthquake, measured by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) at a magnitude of 6.4, struck at 8:22 a.m. about 41 kilometres east south east of the small community of Nikolski in the state. The first earthquake, measured by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) at a magnitude of 6.4, struck at 8:22 a.m. about 41 kilometres east south east of the small community of Nikolski in the state. Both earthquakes hit near the U.S. state on Dec. 1. The National Weather Service had tsunami warnings in effect for south Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula, including Pacific coasts from Kennedy Entrance to Unimak Pass. An earthquake on Tuesday night, July 21, 2020, prompted a tsunami warning across a stretch of coastal Alaska… Alaska has identified three similar events in the past: Tsunamis in 2015 and 1967 occurred in remote areas, while one in 1958 killed five people. Contact him at peter.martinez@cbsnews.com and read more of his stories here. The landslide in Barry Arm has been lurching toward the ocean since at least 1957, when Barry Glacier—which once gripped the base of the mountainside and held back the slope—first pulled its load-bearing ice wall out from under the rocky slope. / CBS News. Bretwood Higman, a geologist and executive director of Ground Truth Alaska, is working with other scientists to research climate change’s impact on landslide-triggered tsunamis. Bender says that before news of the potential landslide broke, their fleet went into Barry Arm daily. “But there are a number of reasons to think climate change makes them a lot more likely.”. “It’s pretty much science fiction,” Higman says. Officials at the National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska, began calling off tsunami advisories and warnings after a wave of only 25 centimeters (.8 … With its scenic location—close to glaciers and a popular beach—the state estimates that during peak tourism season, up to 500 people could be in the area at any given time. There is considered to be no tsunami risk after multiple earthquakes near Alaska on Tuesday (Dec. 1) morning. Alaska Department of Natural Resources press release. He also said that all guests were accounted for. Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox. “If it’s not tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires—it’s one thing or another.” Still, Denmark says, he’s taking precautions; he avoids the Barry Arm area on kayaking tours. A colossal 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit the coast of Alaska on Monday, sparking a tsunami warning and sending families fleeing for higher … Increasing preparedness, installing a robust monitoring system on and near landslides, and creating an effective localized-alert system are the best ways to protect communities, she says. As glaciers recede, the land above them also becomes more unstable. David Adams, a co-manager of a bed and breakfast in Sand Point, told The Associated Press that the quake "was a pretty good shaker here" and said "the structure itself is sound." But near Whittier, the unstable slope in Barry Arm—a narrow, steep-walled fjord in Prince William Sound—is vastly more dangerous. Alaskans have “thick skins” when it comes to disasters, he adds. But large landslides, like the one in Barry Arm? Read: What if a ‘big one’ strikes during the pandemic? “Forget about it,” Liljedahl says. Since 2006, Barry Glacier has receded by more than two miles. But near Whittier, the unstable slope in … “With the people around town, there’s a laissez-faire attitude about it,” Denmark says. Climate change makes land more unstable and increases the risk of landslide-caused tsunamis. “In Taan Fiord (Icy Bay, Alaska), a landslide that began moving slowly decades ago suddenly failed in October 2015. Emergency sirens were activated in Alaska and the Kodiak Emergency Operations Center monitored the situation, CBS affiliate KTVA-TV reported. From their waterfront office, she charters water taxis, fishing boats, kayaking, and sightseeing tours. 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A biker leads a line of cars driving off the Homer Spit at about on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, in Homer, Alaska after a tsunami evacuation order was issued for low-lying areas in Homer. Detecting and tracking unstable slopes can give local governments time to install warning systems, so scientists are working to identify unstable land; they’re focusing on monitoring landslides near communities in southeast and south-central Alaska. “It’s basically falling apart.”. However, there are new rockfalls in the area every time he visits, indicating the area’s instability. July 22, 2020 A tsunami warning was issued for parts of Alaska after a powerful earthquake hit the state late Tuesday. ... 2020. We want to hear what you think about this article. “It’s the business part of it that we’re all really, you know, hanging by a thread.”. This destabilization is being driven by climate change. Several large aftershocks were also recorded at magnitudes 5.8, 5.7, 5.2 and 5.5. There were no immediate reports of damage in the Alaska Peninsula and the tsunami warning was canceled after the magnitude 7.8 quake offshore … © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. And in Alaska, landslide-generated tsunamis are becoming more likely as many hillsides, formerly reinforced by glaciers and solidly frozen ground, loosen their hold on once-stable slopes. By MARK THIESSEN and CHEYANNE MUMPHREY July 22, 2020 1 of 4 Headlights from a line of cars shine at dusk as people evacuate the Spit in Homer, Alaska, following a powerful earthquake in the Aleutian Islands that prompted a tsunami warning. There is considered to be no tsunami risk after multiple earthquakes near Alaska on Tuesday (Dec. 1) morning. The landslide in Barry Arm has been lurching toward the ocean since the 1950s. A map on the U.S. Tsunami Warning System website shows tsunami warning areas in red. Climate change will make landslides more likely and more frequent, says Anna Liljedahl, an associate scientist with the Woodwell Climate Research Center. “The danger part of it—people are feeling like, ‘We know what to do in a tsunami,’” Bender says. Bender has changed tour routes, canceled water-taxi trips, and even canceled a planned wedding. This post appears courtesy of  High Country News. It caused no severe damage or injuries due to its location relative to the sparsely-populated Alaska Peninsula, but managed to trigger a negligible tsunami that prompted evacuation of coastal residences. While many tsunamis are caused by earthquakes, some can be triggered by landslides. “But nobody thought that was a good idea.”. Police in the city of Homer urged residents in low elevation areas to move to higher ground while the alert was in place. The first earthquake, measured by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) at a magnitude of 6.4, struck at 8:22 a.m. about 41 kilometres east south east of the small community of Nikolski in the state. Such events are “worth worrying about regardless of climate change,” Higman says. The warning was downgraded to an advisory within a few hours, and then was lifted entirely later Monday after waves about 2 feet high rolled onto the shore in some areas. Boy killed on busy road after being forced out of car, Florida becomes 3rd state to hit 1 million coronavirus cases. July 22, 2020, 8:14 PM • 4 min read. The state uses howitzer cannons to trigger controlled avalanches in railway and highway corridors, but there’s no easy way to gently coax a colossal landmass off the side of a mountain and into the ocean. The National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska, said the tsunami warning was in effect for roughly 950 miles, from 40 miles southeast of Homer to … Scientists believe the slope is likely to fail within the next 20 years—and could even do so within the year. The warning covered South Alaska, the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. A magnitude 7.5 earthquake jolted Alaska's southern coast on Monday afternoon, triggering a tsunami warning for The Last Frontier and a short-lived tsunami … Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Email this article. A Cold Bay, Alaska, resident shared video from her living room as she and her three children huddled under a table when the quake rattled their home, KTVA-TV said. Tucked against glacier-capped mountains, the Begich Towers loom over the former secret military port of Whittier, Alaska; more than 80 percent of the small town’s residents live in these Cold War–era barracks. "We are getting very accustomed to these earthquakes, and I've learned to just accept that this is what we have to endure when we decide to live between volcanoes and an active plate, the ring of fire," Candace Nielsen told the station. A 7.5 magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami warning (red area) off Alaska, October 19, 2020 (NOAA) Sand Lake is about 923 miles from Anchorage and … As the climate warms, glaciers melt and recede, pulling back from the mountainsides they were hugging. (KRON) – A tsunami warning is in effect for South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula after a … "It just kind of happened all of a sudden," he added. Tsunami warning areas are seen in map posted by CBS Anchorage, Alaska affiliate KTVA … Some locals—like Denmark, the kayak outfitter—might prefer a quicker approach. The National Weather Service in Los Angeles and San Diego said there was no tsunami threat to the West Coast. There is considered to be no tsunami risk after multiple earthquakes near Alaska on Tuesday (Dec. 1) morning. It is, thus far, the largest earthquake of 2020 by magnitude. No damage was reported immediately following the earthquake. Barry Glacier’s wall of ice—which once held the hillside in place, supporting it against the fjord’s mountains—has thinned, edging away from the rock face, releasing its support and revealing an unstable slope that is slipping downward toward the ocean. Whittier residents are aware of the risk, says Peter Denmark, who runs a commercial kayaking business in the community. — NWS Tsunami Alerts (@NWS_NTWC) October 19, 2020 The earthquake initially triggered a tsunami warning along roughly 500 miles of the Alaska Peninsula coastline, according to … TheAtlantic.com Copyright (c) 2020 by The Atlantic Monthly Group. The first earthquake, measured by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) at a magnitude of 6.4, struck at 8:22 a.m. about 41 kilometres east south east of the small community of Nikolski in the state. Some schools on the peninsula were evacuated earlier in the day, but there were no reports of damage. The potential energy from a catastrophic slide here is approximately 10 times greater than that of previous events, the state’s top geologist said in the May press release. Alaska has identified three similar events in the past: Tsunamis in 2015 and 1967 occurred in remote areas, while one in 1958 killed five people. “The rock itself isn’t very competent,” Wolken says. There is considered to be no tsunami risk after multiple earthquakes near Alaska on Tuesday (Dec. 1) morning. The state encourages coastal residents to keep a “go bag” filled with emergency supplies and to plan evacuation routes. Whittier residents have been mindful of tsunamis for generations. When tsunami-warning sirens blare in Whittier, residents know to move swiftly away from the coast and head to higher ground. In a typical summer, Whittier’s harbor teems with traffic: barnacle-encrusted fishing boats, sightseeing ships, sailboats, super-yachts, and cruise-liner monstrosities.