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18-457: Tasiilaq , formerly Ammassalik or Angmagssalik and King Oscar Haven , is a town on Ammassalik Island in southeastern Greenland , within the municipality of Sermersooq . With 1,985 inhabitants as of 2020, it is the most populous community on the eastern coast, and the seventh-largest town in Greenland. The Sermilik Station , dedicated to the research of the nearby Mittivakkat Glacier ,

36-468: A surge of violence & suicide in the town. Following this prohibition, reports of domestic violence had greatly decreased. Social workers from the town said that "it is only a short term solution, but necessary to put the breaks on alcohol-fueled incidents." Tasiilaq is located approximately 106 km (66 mi) south of the Arctic Circle , on the southeastern coast of Ammassalik Island , on

54-400: Is a 3 km (1.9 mi) narrow gravel road to the hydro power plant. Transport to further places is by helicopter or boat. Air Greenland operates helicopter services from Tasiilaq Heliport to neighboring Kulusuk Airport (24 km (15 mi) away), which offers connections to Nuuk , and to Iceland . The heliport serves as a local helicopter hub with flights to several villages in

72-551: Is affected by piteraqs . On 6 February 1970 the worst piteraq ever documented hit Tasiilaq, causing heavy damage and nearly ruining the town. Tasiilaq is twinned with: Ammassalik Island Ammassalik Island is located in the King Christian IX Land region. Separating Ammassalik Island from the mainland of Greenland are the wide Sermilik Fjord in the west and the Ikaasartivaq Strait in

90-471: Is located 15 km northwest of Tasiilaq on the west coast. Ammassalik Municipality was a former municipality of Greenland. It is now part of Sermersooq Municipality . Piteraq A piteraq is a cold katabatic wind which originates on the Greenlandic icecap and sweeps down the east coast. The word "piteraq" means "that which attacks you" in the local language. Piteraqs are most common in

108-463: Is located near the town. The people of Saqqaq culture were the first to reach eastern Greenland, arriving from the north, through what is now known as Peary Land and Independence Fjord , to be surpassed by the Dorset culture . The Norse would have been familiar with the area as the first landmark on the voyage between Iceland's Snæfellsnes peninsula and Greenland. Thule migrations passed through

126-429: Is located on the island's southeastern side. The highest point of the island is a glaciated peak in the northern part, at 1,352 m (4,435.7 ft). The only permanently inhabited settlement on the island is Tasiilaq town on the south coast of the island, with 1,893 inhabitants as of 2009 , the most populous community on the eastern coast, and the seventh-largest town in Greenland. The research station Sermilik

144-465: The 1880s, dispersing over several villages in the area. The permanent settlement was founded in 1894 as a Danish trading station. The town was previously known as Ammassalik (old spelling: Angmagssalik ). The official name change took place in 1997. Alcohol consumption was banned by Greenland's self rule authority in Tasiilaq on September 7, 2021, over a two-week period until September 17 following

162-577: The Piteraq is the frequency of more severe events versus more mild events. On average there are between one and three severe Piteraqs in the Tasiilaq region per year and usually dozens of weaker events. Due to the fact that Piteraqs occur in such an isolated and sparsely populated area, scientists do not know much about how they function. However, this is starting to change as more and more researchers are heading to Greenland to understand these winds. As of 2023 there are several ongoing studies on Piteraqs, but

180-399: The area in the fifteenth century, finding the southeastern coast uninhabited. Due to back migrations to the more densely populated western coast, the southeastern coast was deserted for another two hundred years – the region wasn't settled until late eighteenth century, with the village surviving as the only permanent settlement in the nineteenth century. Population increased however from

198-406: The autumn and winter. Wind speeds typically reach 50 to 80 m/s (180–288 km/h; 111–178 mph). The Greenland ice sheet cools the air directly above it. Colder air is denser, and it sinks, forming a separate layer of cold air in between warmer air. A piteraq is triggered by low pressure systems off the east coast of Greenland. Piteraqs affect not only coastal towns, but also large areas of

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216-417: The data has not yet been made available to the public. The most notable and easily the most powerful Piteraq to strike Tasiilaq occurred on February 6, 1970, when the wind speeds were estimated at 325 km/h. Another notable piteraq happened on September 26, 2022, but was much less powerful and long lasting, with sustained winds up to 160 km/h and gusts up to 210 km/h. This storm was said to cause some damage to

234-408: The east coast of Greenland, their formation is a combination of several factors: The temperature on the Greenland ice sheet, the conditions in the fjords and the current atmospheric conditions. When a low-pressure system is approaching the coast of Greenland it generally has strong winds that can "suck" in air off the Greenland ice sheet, causing a Piteraq. One thing that should be mentioned in regard to

252-632: The northeast. To the east and southeast, the progressively wider southern half of the Ammassalik Fjord separates the island from the remainder of the eponymous Ammassalik Archipelago. Islands in the archipelago include Kulusuk Island , across the Torsuut Tunoq sound, and Apusiaajik Island , the largest. Ammassalik Island's southern coast borders the Irminger Sea , a marginal sea of the open North Atlantic . The town of Tasiilaq

270-500: The region: Isortoq , Kuummiit , Sermiligaaq , and Tiniteqilaaq . In the summer, the cargo boats of Royal Arctic Line connect Tasiilaq with Kulusuk , providing an ad hoc alternative for the helicopter flights of Air Greenland. In summer main activities involve: ice cave tours, ice climbing , glacier hikes, boat trips, whale watching and kayaking. Tasiilaq has a tundra climate ( ET ), with long, cold and snowy winters and short, cool drier summers. From time to time, Tasiilaq

288-551: The sea to the east of Greenland. On February 6, 1970, at about 6:00 PM, the community of Tasiilaq was hit by the worst documented piteraq ever in Greenland (estimated at 90 m/s — about 325 km/h or 200 mph) (Stronger than a category five Atlantic hurricane) causing severe damage. Since the beginning of 1970, special piteraq warnings have been issued by the Danish Meteorological Institute . Although piteraqs can be caused by low pressure systems of

306-531: The shore of a natural harbour in Tasiilaq Fjord , named Kong Oscars Havn by Alfred Gabriel Nathorst in 1883. The fjord is an inlet of the long Ammassalik Fjord emptying into the North Atlantic to the east of the town. The large Sermilik Fjord lies further to the west. With 1,985 inhabitants as of 2020, Tasiilaq is one of the fastest-growing towns in Greenland. The migrants are continuing

324-459: The trend for population growth. Together with Nuuk , it is the only town in the Sermersooq municipality exhibiting stable growth patterns over the last two decades. The population increased by over 37% relative to the 1990 levels, and by over 18% relative to the 2000 levels. Tasiilaq is the main location where East Greenlandic is spoken. There are no roads far outside Tasiilaq. The longest

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