100-feet high tsunami hits Alaska fjord after glacier collapse, experts warn similar mega landslides could hit populated towns
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Survivors' harrowing escape
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A colossal wave and far-reaching impact
The science behind the slide
A warning for the future
A massive landslide near South Sawyer Glacier in Southeast Alaska unleashed a powerful local tsunami early Sunday morning(August 10), sending waves towering up to 100 feet near the source and slamming nearby islands with enough force to strip entire slopes of trees.The event, which occurred around 5:30 am local time in the remote Endicott Arm area, about 60 miles southeast of Juneau, is being called the largest landslide-triggered tsunami in Alaska since 2015. Scientists say tens or even hundreds of millions of cubic meters of bedrock collapsed into the fjord, displacing vast amounts of water and generating a surge felt more than 75 miles away.Three kayakers, Sasha Calvey, Billy White, and Nick Heilgeist, were camping on Harbor Island when they awoke to the roar of rushing water just feet from their tent. Although they had pitched camp well above the high tide line, the wave tore through their site, sweeping away most of their gear and scattering their kayaks, one lodged in a tree, another stranded on a cliff.'It was just pure chaos out of nowhere,' Heilgeist told reporters. The trio, professional guides on a summer-long Inside Passage expedition, were eventually rescued by the charter yacht Blackwood, whose crew fought strong currents to reach them.Near Harbor Island, waves were estimated at 10–15 feet high. But closer to the source, at Sawyer Island, the National Park Service recorded a run-up of at least 100 feet, with vegetation completely stripped from rocky slopes save for a lone tree.The surge reverberated for hours, like water sloshing in a giant bathtub, and was recorded on a tide gauge in Juneau with fluctuations of about one foot.Although the tsunami was destructive along the fjord, the National Weather Service reported no injuries or damage to infrastructure, a stroke of luck, scientists say, given the early hour and absence of cruise ships or tour boats in the narrow waterway.Unlike more common landslides caused by surface soil failure, this event involved vast slabs of bedrock crashing into tidewater. The Alaska Earthquake Center 's Ezgi Karasözen said preliminary estimates suggest a volume exceeding 100 million cubic meters, though precise measurements will take weeks.The slide was preceded by an unusual sequence of small earthquakes, hundreds of magnitude 1–2 tremors over roughly 18 hours, offering a rare 'precursory signal' that scientists hope could improve future hazard detection.Seismometers more than 600 miles away picked up the signal, confirming the sheer magnitude of the collapse.Experts caution that while this landslide struck in a remote location, similar events could happen near populated coastal towns.
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Economic Times
4 days ago
- Economic Times
100-feet high tsunami hits Alaska fjord after glacier collapse, experts warn similar mega landslides could hit populated towns
A massive landslide near South Sawyer Glacier in Alaska triggered a significant local tsunami, generating waves up to 100 feet high. The event, marked by a rare precursory signal of small earthquakes, stripped vegetation and impacted areas over 75 miles away. Fortunately, no injuries or infrastructure damage were reported due to the remote location and early hour. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Survivors' harrowing escape Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A colossal wave and far-reaching impact The science behind the slide A warning for the future A massive landslide near South Sawyer Glacier in Southeast Alaska unleashed a powerful local tsunami early Sunday morning(August 10), sending waves towering up to 100 feet near the source and slamming nearby islands with enough force to strip entire slopes of event, which occurred around 5:30 am local time in the remote Endicott Arm area, about 60 miles southeast of Juneau, is being called the largest landslide-triggered tsunami in Alaska since 2015. Scientists say tens or even hundreds of millions of cubic meters of bedrock collapsed into the fjord, displacing vast amounts of water and generating a surge felt more than 75 miles kayakers, Sasha Calvey, Billy White, and Nick Heilgeist, were camping on Harbor Island when they awoke to the roar of rushing water just feet from their tent. Although they had pitched camp well above the high tide line, the wave tore through their site, sweeping away most of their gear and scattering their kayaks, one lodged in a tree, another stranded on a cliff.'It was just pure chaos out of nowhere,' Heilgeist told reporters. The trio, professional guides on a summer-long Inside Passage expedition, were eventually rescued by the charter yacht Blackwood, whose crew fought strong currents to reach Harbor Island, waves were estimated at 10–15 feet high. But closer to the source, at Sawyer Island, the National Park Service recorded a run-up of at least 100 feet, with vegetation completely stripped from rocky slopes save for a lone surge reverberated for hours, like water sloshing in a giant bathtub, and was recorded on a tide gauge in Juneau with fluctuations of about one the tsunami was destructive along the fjord, the National Weather Service reported no injuries or damage to infrastructure, a stroke of luck, scientists say, given the early hour and absence of cruise ships or tour boats in the narrow more common landslides caused by surface soil failure, this event involved vast slabs of bedrock crashing into tidewater. The Alaska Earthquake Center 's Ezgi Karasözen said preliminary estimates suggest a volume exceeding 100 million cubic meters, though precise measurements will take slide was preceded by an unusual sequence of small earthquakes, hundreds of magnitude 1–2 tremors over roughly 18 hours, offering a rare 'precursory signal' that scientists hope could improve future hazard more than 600 miles away picked up the signal, confirming the sheer magnitude of the caution that while this landslide struck in a remote location, similar events could happen near populated coastal towns.
Time of India
4 days ago
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100-feet high tsunami hits Alaska fjord after glacier collapse, experts warn similar mega landslides could hit populated towns
A massive landslide near South Sawyer Glacier in Southeast Alaska unleashed a powerful local tsunami early Sunday morning(August 10), sending waves towering up to 100 feet near the source and slamming nearby islands with enough force to strip entire slopes of trees. The event, which occurred around 5:30 am local time in the remote Endicott Arm area, about 60 miles southeast of Juneau, is being called the largest landslide-triggered tsunami in Alaska since 2015. Scientists say tens or even hundreds of millions of cubic meters of bedrock collapsed into the fjord, displacing vast amounts of water and generating a surge felt more than 75 miles away. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Survivors' harrowing escape by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Rates Undo Three kayakers, Sasha Calvey, Billy White, and Nick Heilgeist, were camping on Harbor Island when they awoke to the roar of rushing water just feet from their tent. Although they had pitched camp well above the high tide line, the wave tore through their site, sweeping away most of their gear and scattering their kayaks, one lodged in a tree, another stranded on a cliff. 'It was just pure chaos out of nowhere,' Heilgeist told reporters. The trio, professional guides on a summer-long Inside Passage expedition, were eventually rescued by the charter yacht Blackwood, whose crew fought strong currents to reach them. Live Events A colossal wave and far-reaching impact Near Harbor Island, waves were estimated at 10–15 feet high. But closer to the source, at Sawyer Island, the National Park Service recorded a run-up of at least 100 feet, with vegetation completely stripped from rocky slopes save for a lone tree. The surge reverberated for hours, like water sloshing in a giant bathtub, and was recorded on a tide gauge in Juneau with fluctuations of about one foot. Although the tsunami was destructive along the fjord, the National Weather Service reported no injuries or damage to infrastructure, a stroke of luck, scientists say, given the early hour and absence of cruise ships or tour boats in the narrow waterway. The science behind the slide Unlike more common landslides caused by surface soil failure, this event involved vast slabs of bedrock crashing into tidewater. The Alaska Earthquake Center 's Ezgi Karasözen said preliminary estimates suggest a volume exceeding 100 million cubic meters, though precise measurements will take weeks. The slide was preceded by an unusual sequence of small earthquakes, hundreds of magnitude 1–2 tremors over roughly 18 hours, offering a rare 'precursory signal' that scientists hope could improve future hazard detection. Seismometers more than 600 miles away picked up the signal, confirming the sheer magnitude of the collapse. A warning for the future Experts caution that while this landslide struck in a remote location, similar events could happen near populated coastal towns.
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Yes, It's Hot in Arches National Park Right Now. Here's Why You Should Go Anyway.
In May and September, the two most popular months to visit Arches National Park , a last-minute trip is nearly impossible. The only way into the park is by reserving a spot in advance. But during most of July and August, when heat makes crowds thin, the National Park Service pauses timed-entry slots. In the Utah town of Moab, gateway to both Arches and Canyonlands national parks, you can find hotel rooms and guided tours easily. The triple-digit temperatures? A minor detail. While it isn't the time to embark on eight-hour hikes, this late-summer low season still offers rare moments of solitude among the otherworldly rock formations that surround Moab. Here's how to take advantage of the lull and get your nature fix on an August adventure in Moab. Visitors walk the trail at Double Arch in Arches National Park. Set your alarm The most important rule for a summer visit to Moab? Under no circumstances should you hit that snooze button. Private tour operator Deep Desert Expeditions starts its summer tours of Moab's parks as early as 6:30 a.m. and keeps them short. 'You go in at 7 o'clock and [it's] empty, which is shocking because it's really a nice time to be there,' said Mike Coronella, the company's owner—adding that the gentle early-morning light makes for particularly good photography conditions. Deep Desert Expeditions offers tours of the ancient petroglyphs near Moab all year round. Coronella recommends multiple quick outings rather than one or two epic expeditions, even for advanced hikers. Wearing the right gear—light-colored, lightweight clothes with full sun coverage—is also key to a good time. 'What you wear is your shade,' he said. To reach the most spectacular locations in Arches National Park, you have to be prepared to hike. But much of Canyonlands can be accessed by the park's network of paved roads. That means that after an early-morning hike, you can still take in the views by road trip. 'There are many times I've stood at vista points in Canyonlands and literally the only thing I hear is my own breathing or maybe a raven flying overhead,' said Karen Henker, a park ranger for Arches and Canyonlands. Pack a bathing suit 'We always tell people: Get your hiking done early, then spend the hottest part of the day on the river,' said Josh Surkes, founder of Paddle Moab, an outfitter that offers guided hikes and river adventures on the Colorado River. Paddleboarders on a 'flatwater fun' tour by Paddle Moab pose on the Colorado River. In August, Paddle Moab starts some of its tours around 2:30 p.m. to allow time for morning hikes. Surkes says most August outings, like the 'Splish N' Splash' paddleboarding excursion, can be joined on a whim, unlike spring, when he's routinely booked solid. For less strenuous cool-offs, try a plunge at your hotel. Many Moab hotels have pools designed with the punishing heat in mind. SpringHill Suites Moab, one of the most family-friendly options in the area, not only has two resort pools, but also a series of canyon-inspired waterfalls and splash pads for kids. At Moab Springs Ranch, guests can hop between wading pools and a perpetually cold pond fed by spring water. Hoodoo Moab, a Hilton hotel, just added new casitas, and one of the two outdoor pools stays cool thanks to a recirculating waterfall. You'll be paying a lot less for these amenities too. In August, rooms start at $218 a night; just a month later, the rate shoots up to about $695. One of two pools at Hoodoo Moab, a Curio Collection hotel by Hilton. See the town—and the stars Rebecca McAllister, owner of Moab Made, which sells the work of local designers and artists, calls summer travel to the region a 'trade-off.' You probably won't break any hiking personal bests, she concedes. But you may have more opportunities to get to know Moab's residents, many of whom are transplants who fell in love with the area's natural beauty and slower pace of life. Selling goods from over 200 local artists, McAllister is planning to introduce afternoon art workshops, which she hopes will be popular among summer guests. Around the corner, Moab Museum is another welcome respite from sweltering temps. The current exhibition, running through December 1, dives into Moab's history of uranium mining. Come nightfall, Moab's greatest attraction reveals itself. The Moab area is home to three different International Dark Sky Parks, areas recognized for superlative stargazing conditions. Paddle Moab's new Sunset and Stargazing Canyon Trek starts around 8 or 8:30 p.m. in the low season and includes a meditative stop halfway through the hike. Stars blanket the sky in Arches National Park. Another new offering from the outfitter: the Night Float. After dark, guests climb onto paddleboards lined with LED lights and meander along the Colorado River under a star-spangled sky. Try doing that on a chilly October night. Yes, It's Hot in Arches National Park Right Now. Here's Why You Should Go Anyway. Yes, It's Hot in Arches National Park Right Now. Here's Why You Should Go Anyway. Yes, It's Hot in Arches National Park Right Now. Here's Why You Should Go Anyway. Yes, It's Hot in Arches National Park Right Now. Here's Why You Should Go Anyway.
