A 10-million-ton threat

A new addition to the remote Greenland village of Innaarsuit has sparked concern for residents’ safety and forced officials to issue a warning.

Last month, the roughly 180 residents of the sleepy village awoke to find that than enormous iceberg had floated dangerously close to the shore, dwarfing many of the homes on dry land.

The pictures have traveled around the world and created an incredible physical dichotomy. But there are genuine concerns about the affects that it could have.

Experts have warned that the village’s sea-faring residents should be extremely careful when walking or sailing near to the huge floating structure. There is also concern that if a big part of the iceberg were to break off it could create a large wave, so close to the shore.

Remarkably, it’s not the first time in recent years that residents have seen a similar sight. In 2018 a massive iceberg weighing 10 million tons drifted to a similar position, just off the coast. It’s not clear how big the newest arrival is but it could be a sign of a rapidly changing climate.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has confirmed that 2024 was the warmest year on record globally. In fact, the ten hottest years on record all took place in the past decade.

This has been blamed for the unusual movements of icebergs as glaciers begin to melt and parts crack and drift away. In 2023 researchers found that the world’s largest iceberg - known as A23a - has started to move after being stationary for more than 30 years. The movement is thought to be caused by melting and the structure could begin to break into pieces in the near future.

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