Longyearbyen, Svalbard (IMAGE) University of Massachusetts Amherst Caption Svalbard's main town, Longyearbyen, lies beneath steep slopes and there are river channels running through it. Houses there have been destroyed by landslides in recent years. Climate scientists Raymond Bradley at UMass Amherst and Michael Retelle at Bates College have launched a new study on the island in the Norwegian Arctic, where more rainfall may lead to additional flooding and landslides. Credit UMass Amherst/Raymond Bradley Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.