Engineers Drain Water Trapped In French Alps Glacier
Country: FRANCE
Author: Caroline Giradon
Workers have begun draining a pocket of water trapped inside a glacier on Mont Blanc which authorities warned could burst at any time, endangering the lives of more than 3,000 residents in the French Alpine valley.
The 65,000 cubic meters of water -- enough to fill 20 Olympic pools -- was discovered in the Tete-Rousse glacier last month by researchers of the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).
In 1892, trapped water from the same glacier burst and flooded the valley, killing around 200 people.
Between five and 10 engineers, working around the clock will empty the pocket of water through specially drilled holes on top of the glacier.
The pumping will drain 150 cubic meters of water per hour which will be released on another glacier at very low speed.
"With the start of pumping, the water pressure will be much smaller and therefore the risk of it bursting and flooding would be greatly diminished," said Nicolas Carre, the site supervisor.
Authorities said it was not excluded that water could be trapped inside the glacier again in the months or years to come.
(Editing by Jon Hemming)
