Much of the land in Alaska was permanently frozen, or frozen for most of the year, thus maintaining its integrity. Now, the thawing permafrost is causing a number of problems on land. Roads and utility poles are collapsing. Also, the hard permafrost which originally prevented beaches from eroding during violent storms is now melting. Affected villages are forced to relocate. For villages on small low islands, one terrible storm could wipe out the entire community.