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Ice bridge in Patagonia glacier collapses

March 13, 2018

It is a natural spectacle that attracts thousands of spectators and already produces spectacular pictures: But in the dead of the night the ice bridge on the Perito Moreno glacier in the south of Argentina collapsed.

https://p.dw.com/p/2uAvG
Argentinien Gletscher Perito Moreno
The tongue of Perito Moreno has closed the drain of Lago ArgentinoImage: Getty Images/AFP/W. Diaz

The natural arch in Los Glaciares National Park in the Patagonia region came crashing down overnight during a storm while the park was closed, park authorities said Monday.

Since 2004, the natural spectacle has taken place around every two to four years: the growing glacier tongue clogging up the lake Lago Argentino over time. If the water pressure becomes too high, the ice barrier collapses on the whole front. Before 2004 there had been no glacier breakage on the Perito Moreno for 16 years.

The glacier is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest tourist attractions in southern Argentina, according to the Los Glaciares National Park in Patagonia. 

is/ch/ww/sti (afp, efe, Lusa)