Natural ice dam finally breaks

A NATURAL ice dam in southern Argentina broke open.

The 60m high wall of ice from the Perito Moreno glacier that usually divides Lake Argentina in Patagonia bursts from time to time under the built-up pressure of the held-back water.

The event is one of the prime tourist attractions of Argentina.

But until now it had occurred in warmer seasons.

This year's breaking of the dam was forecast well in advance, though the exact day was unknown, so relatively few visitors - around 300 - were on hand to photograph the phenomenon.

Expert predictions that the rupture could still be days away meant Argentine television stations were caught unprepared and were forced to air images of the last collapse.

An internet broadcast, however, caught this year's rupture live for an estimated 150,000 viewers.



The Perito Moreno glacier is the largest of 356 rivers of ice in Los Glaciares National Park, which each year is visited by thousands of tourists.

It is one of the largest glaciers in the world, measuring 275 sq km and 5km wide at its mouth. It is 2800km southeast of Buenos Aires. LINK, Via: Youtube