6. Is Russia the most vulnerable country due to permafrost?

Persistent heat has increased forest fires and thinned permafrost, which has undermined the foundations of houses, buildings, and other structures built on top of it. This is presumed to have contributed to the massive fuel spill in Norilsk in late May 2020.

If frozen permafrost soils are a latent threat to the world, then the most vulnerable country is Russia, as most of its territory is settled on permafrost soils. An accident recently occurred in the Arctic Circle, on Russian territory, which evidenced the fragility of the country due to the extensive of permafrost.

“60% of our territory is permanently frozen soil, and although only 4% of the population lives there, it is where a good part of the infrastructure that extracts hydrocarbons and minerals is located, the main wealth,” says Mijaíl Yulkin, director from the Center for Environmental Investment and adviser to Russian regional governments on these issues.

The information emerged as a result of the spill of 20,000 tons of diesel in a river in the Arctic Circle, from a collapsed storage, built on permafrost, according to BBC, which also stated: “It is believed that the sinking of the ground below of the fuel storage tanks caused the spill. The arctic permafrost melted in an exceptionally warm climate for this time of year.”

FAQS about Permafrost

1. What is permafrost and where is it located?

2. Are there frozen soils without ice?

3. What is the function of permafrost?

4. What dangers does permafrost pose?

5. Is Siberian permafrost thawing faster?

6. Is Russia the most vulnerable country due to permafrost?

7. What are the bacteria related to permafrost?

8. Can bacteria hibernating for millions of years in permafrost be activated?

9. Is there permafrost in the southern hemisphere?

10. What is the difference between the tundra and the taiga?