QAASUITSUP, GREENLAND — Researchers say a mega tsunami that devastated a Greenland settlement in June was triggered by a landslide.
A landslide hit Karrat Fjord on Greenland's west coast on June 17, Nature reported. The landslide was so large it produced a seismic signal that suggested a magnitude 4.1 earthquake.
Large volumes of rock plunged 1,000 feet into the waters below, shattering a glacier and triggering a mega tsunami with waves over 90 meters high.
The tsunami devastated the nearby fishing village of Nuugaatsiaq, washing away 11 houses and leaving at least four people presumed dead.
A team from the Georgia Institute of Technology visited the site to collect information, and are aiming to produce a 3D reconstruction of the incident.
Researchers also determined that another landslide in the fjord may be imminent, leading authorities to evacuate three villages in the region.
Though the cause of the landslide has not been determined, experts say factors such as those brought about by climate change may increase their frequency.
