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Gigantic Iceberg Threatens Tiny Village In Greenland

Gigantic Iceberg Threatens Tiny Village In Greenland

A gigantic 11 million tonne iceberg is currently floating off the shore of Innaarsuit, a village in northwestern Greenland. Residents of the village are worried that the iceberg may break apart and cause a tsunami, devastating the low-lying village and its 169 inhabitants.

The iceberg is more than 300 feet tall, and some relatively small chunks of ice have already fallen off the iceberg, sending waves crashing onto the village’s shore. Residents in the lower sections of the village have been relocated to higher ground, and a rescue helicopter has been stationed nearby.

Lina Davidsen, with the Greenland police force, said “we fear the iceberg could calve [break apart] and send a flood towards the village.” Icebergs are somewhat common for the residents of the village, however Innaarsuit council member Susanne Eliassen said “this is the biggest we have seen, and there are cracks and holes that make us fear it can calve anytime.”

Over the past 100 years more and more icebergs have been forming near Greenland due to rising temperatures, and with one of the hottest summers in decades, the situation will likely only get worse. If the iceberg breaks apart and a chunk of ice large enough falls into the ocean, there is a very real risk of a tsunami forming.