A new study reveals a 1,578-foot tsunami hit Alaska's Tracy Arm fjord, triggered by rapid glacier retreat and a massive landslide linked to climate change.
In a startling revelation from a recent scientific study, researchers have uncovered that a colossal tsunami, measuring approximately 1.5 times the height of the Eiffel Tower, struck a popular tourist destination in Alaska last year.
The wave, which reached a staggering height of 1,578 feet, or 481 metres, surged up the walls of the Tracy Arm fjord on August 10, 2025. This event now stands as the second highest tsunami ever recorded in human history, surpassed only by the massive wave that hit Lityua Bay, Alaska, back in 1958, which peaked at 1,720 feet.
Despite the sheer scale of the disaster, there were no fatalities reported because the event occurred in the early hours of the morning, around 5:30 am, when the area was largely deserted. The catalyst for this aquatic catastrophe was a massive landslide, which scientists from University College London (UCL) attribute directly to the ongoing impacts of climate change.
Dr. Stephen Hicks, a co-author of the study, pointed out that polar and sub-polar regions are currently on the front lines of global warming. He explained that as glaciers retreat, the beauty of these fjords attracts more tourists, yet the retreating ice leaves the surrounding mountains unstable. In this specific instance, a glacier that had previously provided structural support to the mountainside retreated rapidly by 500 metres in just a few weeks.
This sudden loss of support caused a massive volume of rock to collapse into the water below. To put the scale of this landslide into perspective, researchers estimate that the amount of rock that plummeted into the fjord was equivalent to the volume of 24 Great Pyramids of Giza. Evidence of the wave's power was clearly visible in the aftermath.
The tsunami was so powerful that it stripped the vegetation from the fjord walls, creating a distinct trimline of bare rock. By analyzing this trimline, researchers were able to determine that the wave maintained a height of 1,578 feet for more than 0.6 miles. While no one was killed, several eyewitnesses provided critical data.
A group of kayakers camped further down the fjord reported waking up at 5:45 am to find water rushing past their tents, sweeping away their gear and one of their kayaks. Other witnesses on the beach described a wave of about two metres, while observers on a nearby cruise ship noted strange currents and white water, though the main wave remained hidden by the fjord's steep walls.
Dr. Dan Shugar from the University of Calgary noted that this particular event was unusual because it lacked the traditional warning signs. Typically, huge rock avalanches are preceded by weeks or months of slow slope movement, such as sagging.
However, this collapse happened catastrophically and without such notice. Despite this, the team discovered that tiny earthquakes had increased in frequency in the hours and days leading up to the landslide, suggesting the rock mass was cracking. The researchers argue that because many seismic monitoring stations provide real-time data, it is possible to develop a sophisticated warning system to protect future visitors. Currently, at least six cruise lines have altered their routes to avoid Tracy Arm fjord as a precaution.
This event serves as a grim reminder of the volatility of warming climates, coinciding with other warnings that the French Riviera faces a near-certain tsunami threat within the next three decades
Tsunami Alaska Climate Change Glacier Retreat Natural Disaster
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