On September 12, The Guardian reported that scientists have discovered a landslide and mega-tsunami in Greenland in September 2023 caused by climate change, which made the entire Earth tremble for 9 days.
The cause was identified as a 1,200-meter-high mountain collapsing into the narrow Dickson Fjord on September 16, 2023, due to glacial melting that compromised the stability of the rock. This collapse generated a massive tsunami reaching heights of up to 200 meters, shaking the globe for more than a week.
Researchers estimate that approximately 25 million cubic meters of rock and ice fell into the fjord—enough to fill 10,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. (Source: Danish Armed Forces)
The Arctic region, particularly Greenland, is severely impacted by global warming. Dr. Kristian Svennevig, the lead author of the study, stated: “This is an unprecedented event. We did not expect that landslides and tsunamis in eastern Greenland could cause such widespread seismic phenomena.”
This tsunami destroyed an ancient Inuit site in Greenland, indicating that there has not been a similar event in over 200 years. A research station on Ella Island, located 70 km from the landslide site, also suffered significant damage, but fortunately, there were no casualties as the station had been previously unoccupied.
Fortunately, at the time of the tsunami, a ship carrying 200 people nearby was rescued in time. Otherwise, the waves reaching heights of 6 meters could have resulted in serious consequences.
According to Dr. Stephen Hicks from University College London, the research team of 68 scientists from 15 countries used seismic data, satellite imagery, and computer simulations to uncover the cause of this phenomenon. They determined that about 25 million m3 of rock and ice fell into the fjord, creating the enormous tsunami. These waves continued to crash back and forth in the fjord for many days, causing global tremors.
Dr. Anne Mangeney, another scientist involved in the research, noted that previous tsunami models could not explain this prolonged phenomenon, forcing them to use high-resolution simulation technology for better understanding.
This study demonstrates the increasingly powerful effects of climate change, raising the risk of natural disasters such as landslides and tsunamis. According to Dr. Mangeney, “In less than an hour, this event generated vibrations from Greenland to Antarctica, clearly showing how climate change is severely impacting the globe.”
