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Scientists fear an unprecedented mega tsunami could occur if the ice in Alaska occurs
This giant and catastrophic mega-tsunami to come will be triggered in Alaska by a rocky landslide that becomes unstable as the glacier melts Scientists believe this may happen in the next twenty years, if not a year
The ADNR or the Alaska Department of Natural Resources received an urgent open letter from scientists last May, warning of the prospect of the upcoming disaster involving Prince William Sound
Landslides should always be taken seriously However, as a potential risk, the supposed landslide that could occur in the region still has many unknown variables, making it difficult for scientists to determine when and how it happened. will produce
The glacial retreat of Prince William Sound on the south coast of Alaska appears to be impacting the steep slope of the mountain above Barry Arm Fjord 50 kilometers (or 30 miles) northeast of Whittier, Alaska
According to analysis of satellite data, when Alaska’s Barry Glacier begins to retreat from this fjord due to continued melting, an escarpment or huge rock scar also emerges on the mountain above
The escarpment is a sign of a slow and gradual landslide that is already happening on the fjord If the rock face suddenly collapses, there could be a major disaster. Worse yet, this is an area of passage of cruise ships and other pleasure craft, as well as commercial vessels
The research team calculated the amount of debris and energy that will be released by the mega-tsunami and landslide They used the variables of the deposit elevation, the amount of slippery landmass and slope angle
Their results showed that the future disaster will be 11 times stronger and contain 16 times more debris than the 1958 Lituya Bay disaster in Alaska
It is a disaster that can surpass the highest wave of the tsunami that occurred in modern times in Lituya Bay Eyewitnesses compared it to an atomic bomb explosion; the highest altitude of its tsunami was 524 meters (or 1,720 feet)
READ ALSO: The year 2100 will see the fastest melting of the Greenland ice sheet in the last 12 millennia
A break in the slope of the Taan Fjord in 2015 caused a tsunami of 193 meters (or 633 feet) There were several causes for this failure, according to the researchers
These slopes are capable of changing from a slow landslide to a sudden landslide in a rapid cascade
A major factor involves prolonged and heavy rains Earthquakes are also a trigger High temperatures that thaw snow, glacier ice and permafrost can also trigger an event
Many organizations are currently monitoring developments in Prince William Sound These groups include ADNR, USGS or US Geological Survey, and NOAA or National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration They are tracking movements on the Barry Glacier in order to make more precise predictions about future events
The results of the analysis are available on the ADNR website. Hopefully such a mega tsunami can be avoided and the melting of the ice in Alaska can be prevented further
Tsunami, Megatsunami, Glacier, Alaska, Prince William Sound, landslide
News from around the world – United States – Researchers warn of unprecedented mega tsunami in case of melting ice in Alaska
