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Tsunami waves that struck Greenland some of the highest ever recorded

TheCopenhagenPost
July 25th, 2017


This article is more than 7 years old.

Mid-June waves topped 90 metres

Homes and lives were lost in Greenland during the tsunami (photo: Arktic Commando)

Some of the waves from a tsunami that struck Greenland as a result of an earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter Scale in June reached 90 metres, making them some of the highest ever seen.

The waves struck a remote hamlet about 30 km from the village of Nuugaatsiaq last month.

Size of a football pitch
An American research team from Georgia Tech in Atlanta have been investigating the area where the flooding occurred, and the researchers believe the tsunami waves reached the Nuugaatsiaq area in five minutes.

“At these depths, the tsunami waves grow to the size of a football pitch, and they arrived very quickly – probably within five minutes to the village 30 kilometres away. There was not much time to react,” said researcher Hermann Fritz.

Lives, homes and possessions lost
Hundreds were evacuated when the flooding struck on June 17, and many remain without their homes and possessions.

Four people are missing and presumed to have perished during the incident.


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