Nuugaatsiaq
Place in Greenland, Kingdom of Denmark
71°32′06″N 53°12′45″W / 71.53500°N 53.21250°W / 71.53500; -53.21250
Kingdom of Denmark
Greenland (2020)
3961 Uummannaq
Nuugaatsiaq (old spelling: Nûgâtsiaq) is a settlement in the Avannaata municipality, in northwestern Greenland, located on an island off the southern coast of Sigguup Nunaa peninsula, in the Uummannaq Fjord basin. It had 84 inhabitants in 2010,[1] but was abandoned after a tsunami struck in 2017.
History
2017 Landslide
On 17 June 2017, a landslide measuring 300 m × 1,100 m (980 ft × 3,610 ft) fell about 1,000 m (3,280 ft) into Karrat Fjord, generating a megatsunami that hit Nuugaatsiaq.[2][3][4] Initially it was unclear if the landslide was caused by a small earthquake (magnitude 4),[2][5] but later it was confirmed that the landslide had caused the tremors.[3]
The tsunami had an initial height of 90 to 100 m (295 to 328 ft), but it was significantly lower once it hit the settlement, where it had a run-up height of 9 metres (30 ft).[3][4] Four people were killed and nine were injured at Nuugaatsiaq, and eleven buildings were washed into the water.[2][3][4][5][6]
An evacuation of 170 residents of Nuugaatsiaq and Illorsuit followed because of a danger of additional landslides and waves.[4][7] As of March 2023, both Nuugaatsiaq and lllorsuit remained abandoned due to the continuing threat of landslide-generated tsunamis.[8]
Transport
Prior to Nuugaatsiaq's abandonment, Air Greenland served the village as part of a government contract, with mostly cargo helicopter flights from Nuugaatsiaq Heliport to Illorsuit and Uummannaq.[9]
Royal Arctic Line also served the village by ship before its evacuation. This sea link connected Nuugaatsiaq and other villages on Uummannaq Fjord to Aasiaat.[10]
Infrastructure
Atuarfik Saamu folk school can accommodate approximately 12 students ranging from 1st to 9th grade. Established in 1991, the school has a total capacity of 125 seats.
The village offers essential amenities including a shop, post office, service center, nursing station, church, community center, and a procurement center with halibut processing facilities. The cemetery has been positioned overlooking hunting grounds as a tribute to the deceased.
Population
Prior to Nuugaatsiaq′s abandonment after the 2017 tsunami, its population had dropped by over 16 percent relative to the 2000 levels, reflecting a general trend in the region.[11] A November 2015 edition of National Geographic reported about 80 inhabitants, with many houses in the village empty.[12]
In the past, people lived mainly by catching seals and fishing for catfish, but fishing for halibut has become more common in recent times.
References
- ^ Statistics Greenland Archived 2011-08-12 at the Wayback Machine (in Danish)
- ^ a b c Kokkegård, H. (19 June 2017). "Geus: Uklart, om jordskælv udløste grønlandsk tsunami [Unclear if earthquake caused Greenlandic tsunami]". Ingeniøren. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ^ a b c d "After recon trip, researchers say Greenland tsunami in June reached 300 feet high". Georgia Institute of Technology. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ^ a b c d Svennevig, Kristian; Dahl-Jensen, Trine; Keiding, Marie; Boncori, John Peter Merryman; Larsen, Tine B.; Salehi, Sara; Solgaard, Anne Munck; Voss, Peter H. (8 December 2020). "Evolution of events before and after the 17 June 2017 rock avalanche at Karrat Fjord, West Greenland – a multidisciplinary approach to detecting and locating unstable rock slopes in a remote Arctic area". copernicus.org. European Geosciences Union. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Greenland tsunami leaves four people missing". Irish Independent. 18 June 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ "Four missing after tsunami strikes Greenland coast". BBC News. 18 June 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ McGwin, Kevin (February 2, 2021). "Researchers recommend a warning system for Greenland hamlets flooded by 2017 tsunami". www.arctictoday.com. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ Korsgaard, Niels J.; Svennevig, Kristian; Søndergaard, Anne S.; Luetzenburg, Gregor; Oksman, Mimmi; Larsen, Nicolaj K. (13 March 2023). "Giant mid-Holocene landslide-generated tsunamis recorded in lake sediments from Saqqaq, West Greenland". copernicus.org. European Geosciences Union. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- ^ "Booking system". Air Greenland. Archived from the original on 22 April 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
- ^ "Pajuttaat Schedule". Royal Arctic Line. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
- ^ a b Statistics Greenland Archived 2011-08-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Folger, Tim (November 2015). "Melting Away". National Geographic.
