Melting Ice in Alaska

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The chapter shows how climate change is forcing the Yup'ik community of Newtok to move to a new village called Mertarvik because thawing permafrost, erosion, and flooding are making their old homes un…

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The Yup'ik are an Indigenous community of about 380 people living in Newtok near the Bering Sea. They were once seasonally nomadic hunters, but they settled in Newtok in 1949 and still depend on natur…

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Newtok is the old Yup'ik village near the Bering Sea. It has been threatened by erosion and thawing permafrost, so residents are leaving it and moving to Mertarvik.

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Mertarvik is the new village built on higher ground on Nelson Island, about ten miles southeast of Newtok. It was created as the relocation site for Newtok residents and was approved by the government…

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They are moving because thawing permafrost and erosion are damaging the land, causing flooding risk, collapsing banks, and unsafe homes. Climate change has made their village too dangerous to stay in.

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Thawing means ice, snow, or frozen ground becoming soft or turning into water because of warmth. In the chapter, thawing permafrost is a major reason for damage to roads, houses, and the land.

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Permafrost is a thick layer of soil that remains frozen throughout the year, especially in polar regions. When it thaws, the ground becomes weak and can damage buildings, roads, and pipelines.

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Thawing permafrost weakens the ground, so roads, pipelines, and building foundations can buckle or sink. It also releases more greenhouse gases, which makes warming worse.