In 2019, the Ketubjörg cliff collapse in Iceland stunned onlookers and sent shockwaves through the scientific community. The collapse, which occurred on the country's western coast, saw nearly 50 million cubic meters of rock slide into the ocean, creating a massive wave that raced across the sea. The event was caught on camera by several witnesses, with footage showing the terrifying power of the landslide and the huge plume of dust and debris that rose into the air. The Ketubjörg cliff collapse was a stark reminder of the fragility of the Earth's natural structures and the immense power of geological events that can occur with little warning, leaving a lasting impact on those who witnessed it.
Ketubjörg cliffs are located about 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Sauðárkrókur on the Skagi Peninsula. Since early 2015, a fissure appeared in the cliffs. The fissure began forming after an ice dam developed, making water from a creek to seep into the porous palagonite, causing part of it to gradually break off from the rest. This is the slow process that water and ice can create over time.
Eventually, the spacing between the cliff and the island grew into 3 metres (10 feet) wide. After the landslide, the free standing 65 metres (212 feet) high cliff turned into a large pile of soil, of around 20 metres (66 feet) high. The exact timing of the landslide is not known, but the cliff has been monitored since the crevice formed. The rock was still in place on Friday afternoon, but there are indications that the landslide occurred around noon on Saturday, based on seismic activity, registered at seismographs at a 9 kilometres (6 miles) distance.
Here is a video of the Ketubjörg Cliff Collapse:
