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Newtok, Alaska, United States |
Newtok faces imminent shutdown due to severe infrastructure risks and erosion, with remaining residents relocating to temporary homes in Mertarvik.
Comment from Gemini:
The attached observations document the ongoing relocation of the Alaskan village of Newtok to Mertarvik due to severe erosion and permafrost thaw. The earliest observation, from 2019, describes the beginning of the relocation process, highlighting the challenges and estimated costs. Subsequent observations in 2022 and 2023 detail the increasing urgency of the situation, driven by worsening erosion, storm damage (Typhoon Merbok), and the deteriorating condition of critical infrastructure, including the school. These observations underscore the long-term nature of this climate-change-induced displacement, the funding challenges, and the piecemeal nature of the relocation effort. The December 2023 observation specifically mentions the precarious state of the school building, foreshadowing the eventual complete shutdown of public services documented in the current observation. This current observation marks a critical point in Newtok's history: the official decommissioning of the townsite. While residents began moving to Mertarvik in 2019, this formal shutdown represents the final stage of abandoning Newtok.
The relocation of Newtok is a stark example of managed retreat in the face of climate change. The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development website https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/ded/Grants/CommunityDevelopmentBlockGrantCDBG/DisasterRecovery.aspx provides further information on disaster recovery efforts in Alaska, including those related to community relocation. The Newtok relocation has been featured in numerous news articles, including this piece from the Anchorage Daily News https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/rural-alaska/2023/09/26/newtok-families-prepare-for-final-moves-as-village-on-the-ningliq-river-nears-its-end/ which offers a poignant look at the emotional and logistical complexities involved in leaving a homeland behind. The observation's emphasis on the emotional toll of the relocation, particularly for elders like Albertina Charles, highlights the human dimension of climate change impacts, beyond the immediate physical challenges.
