NZ quake causes ice to break off glacier

[jojackson]

THE earthquake that struck Christchurch has caused some 30 million tonnes of ice to break off from New Zealand's biggest glacier.

Tour guides at the Tasman Glacier in the Southern Alps say the quake caused the ice to "calve" from the glacier, forming icebergs in the terminal lake.

Tourists of Glacier Explorer boats say the icefall caused waves of up to 3.5 metres in height which swept up and down the lake for 30 minutes.

The glacier is about 200km from Christchurch on the west coast.

The powerful earthquake struck Christchurch today toppling tall buildings and churches, crushing buses and killing at least 65 people.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...reak-off-glacier/story-e6freuyi-1226010324023

 

[ijmccollum]

The colour of the ice is just amazing.

They really got hammered down there -- my thoughts are with them all.

 

[laurie]

Dan i hope you don't know anyone over there. It sounds awful.

 

[jojackson]

We do have friends there in christchurch but they were fortunate to sustain only minimal property damage and no harm to themselves, sadly their neighbours were not so fortunate.
Certainly the overall damage is phenomenal due the proximity to the surface of the epicenter. (5klm)
Much relieved they were not among the dead, but likewise our hearts go out to those who did lose loved ones.

Awed and amazed at the glacier though.

 

[laurie]

The glacier is awesome, but not worth the ever growing death toll. The pictures of the devastation make me think of how lucky we all are, yet don't think of it every day. Life can be so short.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

My brother lived in Auckland for a year. I hope non of his friends weren't in the area when the quake hit.