From Iceland — Massive Iceberg Spotted Close To Northwest Iceland

Massive Iceberg Spotted Close To Northwest Iceland

Published June 26, 2019

Andie Sophia Fontaine
Photo by
Icelandic Coast Guard

An iceberg nearly twice the size of the Kringlan mall has been spotted off the northwest coast of Iceland, but is quickly melting and breaking apart.

A new Facebook post from the Volcanology and Natural Disasters Group of the University of Iceland details recent radar readings taken of the sea around the Westfjords.

According to the readings, the iceberg is on the move within a sheet of sea ice, albeit fairly close to the ice’s edge. At the same time, the iceberg is breaking apart and melting fairly quickly due to constant collisions with the sea ice.

Most striking of all is the size of the thing: about 400 metres wide. By comparison, Kringlan—Reykjavík’s shopping mall—is only about 250 metres long between its farthest points.

As this iceberg is confined to sea ice, it poses no immediate threat to any of the boats and ships travelling through the region, and at its current rate of deterioration will most likely disappear quickly.

NOTE: The iceberg pictured above is not the iceberg in question.

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