World’s largest iceberg: Finger-like chunk of ice breaks off in Antarctica

This iceberg is roughly 170 kilometers long and 25 kilometers wide, calved from the western side of Antarctica’s Ronne Ice Shelf.

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The measurements taken from satellites and planes are now confirming that the broken iceberg is the world’s largest. The iceberg is three times larger than India’s capital city Delhi and is now floating freely on the Weddell Sea. It is roughly 170 kilometres (105 miles) long and 25 kilometres (15 miles) wide.  The newly formed iceberg takes the place from the iceberg A-23A, which was approximately 3,880 sq kilometres in size.

The Antarctica ice sheet has witnessed the fastest-warming than rest of the planet, which causes melting of snow, ice covers, and breaking of glaciers, especially near the Weddell Sea. After the glacier is cut off, chunks of ice float until they break apart or clash with the land.

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Last year, iceberg A-68A, was the world’s largest iceberg from Antarctica and the scientists were feared that it would collide with an island that is breeding ground for sea lions and penguins, but it ended up splitting and breaking into the small pieces of ice. 

According to the study published in Nature earlier this month, average sea levels have risen about nine inches since the year 1880, and about a quarter of the increase is contributed by the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. 

Earth’s average temperature has increased by one degree Celsius since the 19th century, which is enough to increase the intensity of droughts, heatwaves and tropical cyclones.


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