Researchers investigate, plan for tsunami-induced landslide risk in Yakutat

Researchers investigate, plan for tsunami-induced landslide risk in Yakutat

Landslide-induced tsunamis are a rare but worrisome phenomenon that has a history in Southeast, Alaska. Perhaps the most infamous happened in Lituya Bay in the 1950s. It generated a massive wave–  a “megatsunami” that killed five people. Decades later, in 2015, 180 million tons of rock slid into Icy Bay, about 40 miles northwest of Yakutat, triggering a tsunami over 600 feet tall. No one was injured, but the event raised concerns for community m…