Thirty-million-ton block of ice sheared off New Zealand glacier during quake ..

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-02-massive-iceberg-zealand-quake.html

Hmm. I've heard various reports about this. A "three metre" high wave? I doubt it. There were tourist sightseeing boats on the lake at the time. Other reports are saying 60cm high. Big difference.

There are regularly large chunks of ice calving off and forming icebergs in this lake, the glacier is retreating very fast. If this really was 1km wide and 30 million tonnes then that's a lot bigger than normal, but I think some of these numbers are a bit off. 75m high at the face? Not that I can recall.

Anyway, no one seems to have been killed or hurt, so it's a minor aside compared to the human tragedy unfolding in Christchurch.

Damien Gildea wrote:Hmm. I've heard various reports about this. A "three metre" high wave? I doubt it. There were tourist sightseeing boats on the lake at the time. Other reports are saying 60cm high. Big difference.

I wasn't there, so gotta rely on conflicting reports until the truth is revealed.

Damien Gildea wrote:There are regularly large chunks of ice calving off and forming icebergs in this lake, the glacier is retreating very fast. If this really was 1km wide and 30 million tonnes then that's a lot bigger than normal, but I think some of these numbers are a bit off. 75m high at the face? Not that I can recall.

Yes, it's the biggest glacier in New Zealand, located in the Southern Alps on the south island.

Damien Gildea wrote:Anyway, no one seems to have been killed or hurt, so it's a minor aside compared to the human tragedy unfolding in Christchurch.

I completely agree with this statement.

Yeah I'm down here in New Zealand right now. Christchurch earthquake devestating beyonds words. Was not aware of what happened with that glacier. Interesting information