A massive mega-tsunami wave taller than the World Trade Centre narrowly missed Canada and wiped out life on an entire island, narrowly avoiding countless tourists. Scientists are “terrified” for future chaos after a catastrophic event last year. In 2025, part of an Alaskan mountain crumbled into the sea, creating the second tallest wave ever recorded. After devastation swerved the mainland, scientists warned of the ongoing risks of melting glaciers.
Landslide Triggered Colossal Wave
A terrifying 64 million cubic metres of rock—the same mass as 24 Great Egyptian Pyramids—plunged into the sea. The force propelled a 500-metre-tall wave into existence. The towering body of water charged through a remote fjord in southeast Alaska, caused by a massive landslide, according to the BBC. Dr Bretwood Higman, an Alaskan geologist who saw the damage at Tracy Arm Fjord, said it was “a close call”.
“We know that there were people that were very nearly in the wrong place,” he said. “I'm quite terrified that we're not going to be so lucky in the future.” The only thing which stopped people getting hurt was that it happened in the early hours of the morning—meaning no tourist cruise ships were nearby.
How Mega-Tsunamis Form
Mega-tsunamis happen when a landslide caused by either an earthquake or loose rock hits the water below, but they are usually contained and disappear pretty quickly. Other tsunamis can occur in the open ocean after an earthquake or an underwater volcano, like the 2011 Japan tsunami, which can travel for thousands of miles, hitting populated areas and causing huge natural disasters that scar countries for life.
The biggest megatsunami was in the 1950s and was over 500 metres. This latest megatsunami was the second largest ever recorded. Dr Higman saw the devastation not long after the wave crashed into Tracy Arm Fjord, a popular cruise ship destination. The island was covered in broken trees, rock, and the land was stripped of any life.
Climate Change Connection
Because of its steep mountains, narrow fjords, and frequent earthquakes, Alaska is vulnerable to megatsunamis. Dr Stephen Hicks of University College London said the glacier was previously “helping to hold up this piece of rock”, and so when the ice retreated, it exposed the bottom of the cliff face, “allowing that rock material to suddenly collapse into the fjord”, according to Science. “More people are now going to remote areas—often these tourist cruises are going to see the natural beauty of the area to actually learn more about climate change—but they are also dangerous places to be.”
Increasing Frequency Warning
Dr Higman said mega-tsunamis will most likely be more common. “At this point, I'm pretty confident that these are increasing not just a little bit, but increasing a lot,” he said. “Maybe in the order of 10 times as frequent as they were just a few decades ago.” The scientists are calling for wider monitoring of hazards in parts of Alaska that might be vulnerable to mega-tsunamis. Some cruise companies have announced they are to stop sending ships into Tracy Arm amid safety fears.
