Nuugaatsiaq (old spelling: Nûgâtsiaq) is a settlement in the Avannaata municipality, in northwestern Greenland, located on an island off the southern coast of Sigguup Nunaa peninsula, in the Uummannaq Fjord basin. It had 84 inhabitants in 2010,[1] but was abandoned after a tsunami struck in 2017.
On 17 June 2017, a landslide measuring 300 m × 1,100 m (980 ft × 3,610 ft) fell about 1,000 m (3,280 ft) into Karrat Fjord, generating a megatsunami that hit Nuugaatsiaq.[2][3][4] Initially it was unclear if the landslide was caused by a small earthquake (magnitude 4),[2][5] but later it was confirmed that the landslide had caused the tremors.[3]
The tsunami had an initial height of 90 to 100 m (295 to 328 ft), but it was significantly lower once it hit the settlement, where it had a run-up height of 9 metres (30 ft).[3][4] Four people were killed and nine were injured at Nuugaatsiaq, and eleven buildings were washed into the water.[2][3][4][5][6]
An evacuation of 170 residents of Nuugaatsiaq and Illorsuit followed because of a danger of additional landslides and waves.[4][7] As of March 2023, both Nuugaatsiaq and lllorsuit remained abandoned due to the continuing threat of landslide-generated tsunamis.[8]
Royal Arctic Line also served the village by ship before its evacuation. This sea link connected Nuugaatsiaq and other villages on Uummannaq Fjord to Aasiaat.[10]
Atuarfik Saamu folk school can accommodate approximately 12 students ranging from 1st to 9th grade. Established in 1991, the school has a total capacity of 125 seats.
The village offers essential amenities including a shop, post office, service center, nursing station, church, community center, and a procurement center with halibut processing facilities. The cemetery has been positioned overlooking hunting grounds as a tribute to the deceased.
Prior to Nuugaatsiaq′s abandonment after the 2017 tsunami, its population had dropped by over 16 percent relative to the 2000 levels, reflecting a general trend in the region.[11] A November 2015 edition of National Geographic reported about 80 inhabitants, with many houses in the village empty.[12]
Kingdom of Denmark
Greenland
