Janice R. Andrews
Norway is on alert as the Åkernes mountain, prone to instability, may collapse, triggering a catastrophic 100-meter-high tsunami. This could devastate nearby villages, including the UNESCO World Heritage site Geiranger, as recently reported by National Geographic.
While the danger has been known to locals for years, recent developments suggest it is becoming more urgent. Geologist Gustav Pless from the Landslide Monitoring Centre warns that just a month of intense rainfall could accelerate the situation. Global warming is worsening the threat by increasing rainfall, melting permafrost, and saturating the cliffs.
The mountain is closely monitored, with instruments detecting even the slightest shift in the fissure, which has been widening by about ten centimeters annually. Efforts are underway to drain water and stabilize the cliffs.
Should the situation deteriorate, authorities are prepared to deploy a large-scale evacuation plan. While the exact timing of the collapse remains uncertain, experts are closely monitoring the situation to prevent disaster in one of Norway’s most iconic regions.
