A massive iceberg has drifted dangerously close to tiny Greenlandcommunity, sparking widespread panic as residents fear it could trigger a tsunami.
Local authorities have declared a state of emergency and told people to move further up the steep slope on which the village is built.
The iceberg now looms over houses on the edge of Innaarsuit, a small island settlement in northwestern Greenland, but it has become grounded and appears to have stopped moving.
Residents are now afraid that if the iceberg “calves” and a huge chunk of ice falls into the water it will create waves that could destroy the village.
A small part of the iceberg has already fallen off.
Heavy rain is expected in the region until Saturday, and may increase the chances of a major calving event.
"There are 180 inhabitants and we are very concerned and are afraid," Karl Petersen, chair for the local council in Innaarsuit, told CBC News.
Last summer, four people died after waves swamped another settlement in northwestern Greenland.
There is also a danger that the impact of iceberg calving could cause flooding as rivers near the community experience a water surge.
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