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A massive chunk of glacial ice meauring 1,150ft by 1,250ft has separated from the Grey Glacier in the Torres del National Park in Southern Chile, Inach has reported.
The iceberg detached from the "East tongue," the front part of the glacier: a phenomenon reflecting the increase in temperatures worldwide, according to Ricardo Jaña, a Chilean glaciologist from the Institute Antartico Chileno.
"This is a situation that was anticipated, but what’s the most singular and anecdotal is that it is an iceberg of much larger dimensions, which called for notable attention," Jaña said in a statement.
Usually, when chunks of glaciers detach from the parent ice, they melt and join the nearby water streams, but the huge chunk in Lake Grey – which is 13km long and around 8km wide – is so large that it could pose a risk to passing vessels.
"All the glaciers that melt the interior of the continents flow, drain lakes, rivers and go to the sea, increasing their average level," Jaña said.
"Events have occurred in the past that, by the size of the icebergs and their dynamics, many times prevent the normal flow of the boats.
"In these moments, the ice looks compact and consistent, but it becomes a threat as it will move and fragment into smaller pieces."
Torres del National Park is located in Ultima Esperanza province, in Southern Patagonia. It forms part of the nearly 12 million-year-old mountain range, Cordillera del Paine, known for its towering peaks and wide glacial valleys. The region is a major tourist attraction, drawing about 115,000 visitors each year.
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