AI Summary

Aerial views show Wainwright, Alaska, as a stable stretch of homes and roads between the Chukchi Sea and flat tundra, but beneath the surface the town sits on permafrost containing large ice bodies. As the coastal bluffs erode, this hidden ice is becoming exposed and melting, causing roads to sink, buildings to tilt, pipelines to crack, and shorelines to retreat, putting structures dangerously close to the ocean. A 2025 study estimated that permafrost thaw could inflict $37 billion to $51 billion in building and road damage across Alaska.

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