The jelly-like quality of the village’s ground, as in many communities along Alaska’s northern and western coasts, is caused by thinning, and in some cases almost completely disappearing, permafrost.
September 28, 2026
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Pam McFarland - Engineering News-Record
In some areas of the tiny subsistence coastal village of Kwigillingok along the Bering Sea in western Alaska, pockets of ground feel squishy, almost gelatinous, rather than solid. It’s an odd sensation, as if there is only a thin layer of muddy soil preventing people from falling into the water beneath their feet.
Ms. McFarland may be contacted at mcfarlandp@enr.com