A 481-Meter Tsunami Struck Alaska, And It Was a Terrifying Near Miss

A retreating South Sawyer Glacier in Alaska triggered a 481-meter landslide megatsunami in Tracy Arm fjord in 2025.

Scientists reconstructed the near-miss using satellite, aerial, and ground data and published the findings in Science.

The event caused major damage but no injuries, highlighting how glacier retreat can produce extreme, unpredictable fjord tsunamis.

It raises growing safety concerns for visitors, ships, and coastal communities as warming increases glacier retreat and fjord traffic.