PERU: NASA WARNS A GLACIER IN THE ANDES COULD BREAK AWAY AND ENDANGER LOCAL COMMUNITY BUT GEOLOGISTS REMAIN SCEPTICAL

Record ID: 862276

  • Title: PERU: NASA WARNS A GLACIER IN THE ANDES COULD BREAK AWAY AND ENDANGER LOCAL COMMUNITY BUT GEOLOGISTS REMAIN SCEPTICAL
  • Date: 23rd April 2003
  • Summary: LIMA, PERU (APRIL 23, 2003) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WEB PAGE ON WHICH NASA WARNS OF POSSIBLE AVALANCHE
  • Embargoed: 8th May 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ANDES MOUNTAINS, HUARAZ AND LIMA, PERU
  • City:
  • Country: Peru
  • Topics: Environment,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA9GUP3E1CQTC8UQXAA5WVWXEFY
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: NASA has warned that a glacier in the Peruvian Andes
    could break off and endanger a populated community, but local
    geologists remain sceptical.



    The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space
    Administration (NASA) warned that a glacier in Peru's Andes
    mountains could break apart and cause an avalanche in a
    populated valley but local geologists said the U.S. agency
    was being alarmist.

    NASA said its Terra satellite had detected an "ominous
    crack" in the Cupi glacier, calling it a "potential glacial
    disaster-in-the-making" near the tourist town of Huaraz, 168
    miles (270 km) north of Lima.

    The agency wrote that a large glacier chunk could break
    off and fall into the lake, causing a flood that it said could
    reach Huaraz and its tens of thousands of residents in less
    than 15 minutes.

    The NASA warning was splashed across the front pages of
    several tabloid newspapers in Peru, reviving memories of an
    earthquake and avalanche which killed about 70,000 people near
    Huaraz 25 years ago.

    Benjamin Arnao Morales, head of the Andean Geological
    Institute and considered Peru's leading expert on glaciers,
    said it is normal for Andean glaciers to have "thousands of
    cracks" but inaccurate that an avalanche would reach Huaraz in
    15 minutes. He said the report had alarmed the local people.

    "I found out about this, analysed it and saw immediately
    that what NASA said wasn't that certain because they said they
    had detected a crack in a glacier that was called Palcaraju
    and that could produce an avalanche and subsequently a flood,"
    said Morales. "It isn't possible to detect that solely by
    satellite images and to give news of this type in light of the
    fact that it cannot be determined precisely that a glacier is
    going to fall, nor when nor of what volume."
    Morales said he had asked officials from NASA's Jet
    Propulsion Laboratory for further information.

    Experts have said that NASA's intent was to show that
    their instrument was able to monitor the situation and
    provide useful data.

    Huaraz, surrounded by the spectacular snow-capped
    Cordillera Blanca mountain range, is a prime climbing and
    hiking destination for both Peruvian and foreign tourists.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Video restrictions: parts of this video may require additional clearances. Please see ‘Business Notes’ for more information.
Register