Antarctica: 4 Tourist Sites Flooded With ‘Massive Iceberg’ Released 152 Tons Of Water | science | News

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Satellite images show that over a three-month period in 2020/2021, the massive A-68 iceberg melted dramatically, releasing 152 billion tons of fresh water into the seas around South Georgia. The amount of water released is 20 times the amount of water in Loch Ness or 61 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.

In July 2017, the A68A iceberg cut off the Larsen-C Ice Shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula and began its 3.5-year, 4,000-kilometre journey across the Southern Ocean.

The glacier was the largest of its kind when it formed, covering an area of ​​5,719 square kilometers – a quarter of the area of ​​Wales. It was also the sixth largest iceberg ever.

During Christmas 2020, the iceberg caused worldwide panic as it began moving dangerously close to the island of South Georgia, sparking fears that it could harm the island’s fragile ecosystem.

The results revealed that the turret had melted enough during its drift to avoid damaging the sea floor around South Georgia.

However, one side effect of the melting was that the glacier released a huge amount of fresh water in close proximity to the island.

The researchers cautioned that this caused a disturbance that could have a profound impact on the island’s marine habitats.

Ann Brackman Fulgman, a CPOM researcher and a PhD candidate in the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds, is the study’s lead author.

She said, “This is a huge amount of meltwater, and the next thing we want to learn is whether it’s having a positive or negative impact on the ecosystem around southern Georgia.

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“As the A68A took a shared route through the Drake Passage, we hope to learn more about icebergs taking a similar path, and how they affect the polar oceans.”

Because of global warming, icebergs are melting rapidly, causing global sea levels to gradually rise, putting many populated cities and tourist attractions at risk of submerging in the water by 2030.

Amsterdam is one of those cities. About a third of the Netherlands is below sea level, with the lowest point being 22 feet (6.7 m) below sea level.

While the country has erected significant flood defenses to prevent such a disaster, rising sea levels will only endanger this popular tourist destination.

Aside from sea level rise, Venice also risks sinking the city itself by 2mm each year.

In Asia, Kolkata lies on the fertile flat plain of India, which makes it highly vulnerable to flooding due to rising sea levels, particularly during the annual monsoon season.

Like Venice, Bangkok is located a few meters above sea level and is sinking by 2 to 3 mm every year.

According to a study conducted in 2020, Bangkok may be the most affected city in the world due to global warming.

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