Tsunami time bomb in Alaska – Atlantic

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Detecting and tracking unstable slopes can give local governments time to install warning systems, so scientists are working to identify unstable lands; They focus on monitoring landslides near communities in southeast and south central Alaska.

In mid-October, Gabriel Walken – director of the Climate and Cryosphere Risk Program in the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys – boarded a helicopter to Barry Arm. From the air, he conducted a lidar scan with a laser scanner to measure the topography of the slide area in fine detail, and calculate how the landslide has moved and changed since June. The data is still being processed. However, there is new rockfall in the area every time it visits, indicating instability in the area. “The rock itself is not very qualified,” says Walken. “It basically collapses.”

Whittier residents are aware of the risks, says Peter Danish, who runs a community kayaking business. When the tsunami sirens go off in Whittier, residents know they are moving quickly away from the coast and head towards higher ground. The state encourages coastal residents to keep a “travel bag” full of emergency supplies and to plan evacuation routes.

“With people all over the city, there is a hands-off attitude about it,” Denmark says. He adds that Alaskans have “thick skin” when it comes to disasters. “If it’s not tsunamis, or earthquakes, or volcanoes, or wildfires – that’s one thing or the other.” However, Denmark says it is taking precautions; Avoid Barry Arm on kayaking tours.

Kelly Bender and her husband Mike depend on summer tourism in Prince William Sound. From its waterfront office, it rents water taxis, fishing boats, kayaking and tours. Bender says that before news of a possible landslide spread, their fleet went to the Barry Arm daily. With its scenic location – close to glaciers and a popular beach – the state estimates that during peak tourist season, there could be up to 500 people in the area at any time. Binder has changed itineraries, canceled water taxi trips, and even canceled a planned wedding. “The risk part of it – people feel like, ‘We know what to do in the tsunami,'” Bender says. “It’s part of the job where we’re all, you know, hanging by a thread.”

While it is still possible to avoid or mitigate many of the worst effects of climate change, there really is no option for eliminating the tsunamis generated by landslides. The state uses howitzers to induce avalanches in railroad and highway corridors, but there is no easy way to gently coax the massive land mass out of the side of the mountain and into the ocean. It’s largely science fiction, says Hegman.

Small landslides may be able to settle from the bottom up. But large landslides, like the one in Bari Arm? “Forget it,” says Lyjdal. Increasing preparedness, installing a robust landslide monitoring system and near them, and establishing an effective local alert system are the best ways to protect communities, she says.

Some locals – such as Denmark, the kayak maker – might prefer a faster approach. “My idea was to blow it up and degenerate,” he says. “But nobody thought that was a good idea.”

This post appears courtesy of High Country News.

We want to hear your opinion on this article. Send a letter to the editor or write to [email protected].

Victoria Petersen is an editorial intern for High Country News. High Country News is a non-profit media organization focused on the American West.

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