Bretwood Higman

Abstract Setting The landslide The tsunami Landslide-induced Seiche (LIS) Implications Acknowledgments Supplementary Materials References and Notes Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Early in the morning of 10 August 2025, a >64 × 106 m3 landslide struck Tracy Arm fjord in Alaska. The landslide was preconditioned by glacial retreat caused by climate change.

Does the recent earthquake in Anchorage tell us anything about earthquake risk at Pebble Mine? The Nov. 30 earthquake was a big one – magnitude 7, or the equivalent of 1,000 magnitude 5 earthquakes. Though such earthquakes aren’t all that uncommon in Alaska, its location made it a monster: The epicenter was a bit north of Anchorage, and the fault it happened on extended to the south, perhaps even directly under the city. Now that it’s happened, we know such an earthquake is possible.

Climate change is driving worldwide glacial retreat and thinning1 that can expose unstable hillslopes. The removal of glacial ice supporting steep slopes combined with the thawing of permafrost in alpine regions2 increases the likelihood of landslides3,4,5,6. Glaciers undercut slopes, priming them for failure by deepening and widening valley bottoms, and by producing steeper valley walls7.