Australian authorities have issued a shipping alert over a gigantic iceberg almost twice the size of Hong Kong island that is gradually approaching the country’s southwest coast.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the once-in-a-century cliff of ice, which dislodged from Antarctica about a decade ago before drifting north, was being monitored.
“Mariners are advised that at 1200 GMT on December 9, an iceberg 1,700km south-southwest of the West Australian coast was observed,” it said.
“The iceberg is 140sq km in area – 19km long by 8km.”
Experts believe the iceberg - known as B17B - is likely to break up as it enters warmer waters nearer Australia.
The iceberg has been floating around Antarctica since shearing off the icy continent but had lately begun heading north because of ocean currents and weather conditions.
Its discovery comes after two other large icebergs were spotted further east, off Australia’s Macquarie Island, followed by more than 100 smaller chunks heading towards New Zealand
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=331389&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21
The Bureau of Meteorology said the once-in-a-century cliff of ice, which dislodged from Antarctica about a decade ago before drifting north, was being monitored.
“Mariners are advised that at 1200 GMT on December 9, an iceberg 1,700km south-southwest of the West Australian coast was observed,” it said.
“The iceberg is 140sq km in area – 19km long by 8km.”
Experts believe the iceberg - known as B17B - is likely to break up as it enters warmer waters nearer Australia.
The iceberg has been floating around Antarctica since shearing off the icy continent but had lately begun heading north because of ocean currents and weather conditions.
Its discovery comes after two other large icebergs were spotted further east, off Australia’s Macquarie Island, followed by more than 100 smaller chunks heading towards New Zealand
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=331389&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21
