Background Articles

Climate change is affecting all aspects of the northern housing industry, from the structures themselves to the transportation of materials. One way to fix the issue is to put more reliance on northern community-based knowledge..

As the US grapples with extreme heat, floodwaters force evacuations in the Midwest, including a submerged Iowa town.

Yellowknife is using water from Yellowknife Bay to refill its reservoirs due to unusually high outflow rates at a pumphouse, the cause of which is under investigation.

Scientists are enhancing flood forecasts in Juneau as Suicide Basin refills, following an unexpected record flood last year caused by rapid drainage.

This region endured similar major floods in 1922, 1942 and 1957 though the current disaster was "extraordinary and all previous 'records' have been surpassed," she added.The Ural River flooded Russia's Orenburg region in particular, while the Ishim — which feeds the Siberian regions of Tyumen and Omsk, and northern Kazakhstan — also burst its banks.

Melting permafrost in Nunapitchuk is causing severe structural damage to homes, leading to erosion, instability, and health issues for residents.

Extreme flooding on Alaska's Arctic highway in 2015 caused thaw-induced sinking in the permafrost terrain up to 3 inches deep, with the most significant effects occurring in ice-rich areas, according to a newly published study.

Many municipalities still have outdated sewage systems that are at risk of flooding during heavy rainfall.

August flooding in Juneau has resulted in severe damage to private homes. After such events physical damage to buildings and homes are obvious. What do the experts say about mental health challenges after events such as the Mendenhall Glacier event?

The Hokksund family in Drammen, Norway, has experienced flooding in their living room for the second time and may not be able to return home until next year due to ongoing flooding in the area.

– Han har hatt helt utrolig flaks, sier mor Cecilie etter at sønnen ble dratt gjennom et over 200 meter langt rør med flomvann.

Due to recent flooding, FEMA assessors will work with state, local and tribal officials to determine if federal aid is warranted with flood and erosion damage.

“We started seeing structural timber,” one resident said. “And then I was like, ‘Oh, my God. That’s from houses upstream.'”

The damage wrought to the park’s road by melting permafrost is creating a new reality affecting visitors, park staff, local businesses and potentially wildlife.

This rural part of the island of Oahu is not connected to city sewers — and waste from toilets, sinks and showers is mostly collected in hundreds of pits called cesspools. Rising seas are also pushing groundwater closer to the surface, allowing cesspool effluent to mix with the water table and flow into the ocean.

As Alaska faces an increased risk of spring breakup flooding this year, scientists are asking residents to share photos documenting major rivers’ progress from ice to water to help them predict with more accuracy where flooding might occur.

The relocation between from Newtok to Mertavik has taken time and community members stay patient as local, state, and federal agencies figure out the complex funding and logistical hurdles.

The Copper River Basin in Alaska has experienced less reliable snow and ice conditions in recent years, impacting winter activities such as trapping, hunting, and gathering firewood. This study, based on nine oral interviews with local residents, reveals that crossing rivers has become more treacherous and difficult, with significant changes in ice conditions observed since the 1970s. Decreased snowpacks and increased shrub growth have also posed obstacles for accessing winter trails, requiring individuals to cut through forests. These changes, combined with socio-economic and technological factors, have affected the way people engage in winter activities in the Copper River Basin. Overall, this research contributes to the understanding of climate change's impact on winter activities in Alaska and the Circumpolar North.

About 800 people have had to leave their homes due to the risk of avalanches in East Iceland.

The region of Catalonia, northeastern Spain, is in its worst drought since measurements began. The sheep reservoir supplies water to the city of Barcelona.