The Perito Moreno glacier completed on March 10, 2016 the process of breaking, when minutes before 11 the ice bridge linking the frozen mass with land on Lake Argentino, an episode that was recorded after four years collapsed .

The emblematic Argentine glacier Perito Moreno broke to 10:55 on Thursday, providing thereby a show that attracts thousands of Argentines and visitors from around the world in near the tourist town of El Calafate, in the extreme southwest of the province of Santa Cruz.

The breakdown process began Tuesday in the Los Glaciares National Park, where the last time came the fall of large chunks of ice had happened in 2012.

Matilde Oviedo, Press the Glaciares National Park, told Cadena 3 that «an impressive rumble felt».

«There are a lot of people but we hoped and thought would happen later,» he said.

He noted that this is an unpredictable natural spectacle and that «it had to happen when outside.»

He clarified that fall «large blocks» of which so the balcony is closer to the place of detachment was disabled «glass-like shards that could hurt» is desprendes.

Yesterday the Minister of Tourism of Argentina, Gustavo Santos, said: «We are about to witness a wonderful show of nature, in an Argentine scenario that was declared a UNESCO world heritage site and attracts tourists from around the world. This National Park is the most visited country, with about 700,000 tourists every year. »

Some 1,500 people visited the glacier daily during this time of year, but the sudden break usually attracts many Argentines and the region interested in attending this event visitors.

According highlighted the president of the National Parks Administration, Eugenio Bréard, this event «has enough to summon millions of viewers around the world to intense natural processes reflection on power.»

Meanwhile, Sergio Bergman, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Nation, said: «The planet offers four very powerful elements, elements that are part of our organic structure, and our obligation as full human beings is to have reverence for that reality material. for this reason, in the first months of government we can realize that the concern about climate change is very much on our agendas. »

The glacier is 60 meters high, has a front 5 kilometers, its surface is approximately like the City of Buenos Aires, is located in the Patagonian Ice Field South, which is the third ice concentration world’s largest after the poles.

The Los Glaciares National Park has an area of ​​726,927 hectares and was created to preserve an extensive area of ​​continental ice and glaciers, the southern Andean-Patagonian forest and samples of the Patagonian steppe.

Oviedo said that the glacier «is full of people who barely speaks to enjoy the show, there are some detachments, and as generate an important noise like thunder, are amazed.»

«You can be in the area of ​​catwalks during daylight and in the morning you can enter from 8; general rupture has always taken three or four days, but each break is different, there have been breaks in February and March, but once there in July, «he said.

Oviedo said that «it is snowing all year, although hot weather, snow falls in the mountains and is deposited on the glacier, and ice will compacting is done.»

«The glacier grows and its front is moving toward Magallanes Peninsula, which is the land where the circuit is footbridges; at times when it accumulates a lot of snow, ice mass that settles on the peninsula and not allow the rich arm, which is part of Lake Argentino, pass and starts to raise its water level, «he added.

«Yesterday morning rangers warned that there was a crack in the front of the glacier and is the indication that will begin the process of breaking, because the accumulated water begins to exert pressure and are falling pieces until that bridge so that now he sees and falls in a precipitous manner, «he completed

1917 , the year the first breaking of the Perito Moreno glacier.

The Perito Moreno glacier is an asset. It is one of the few in the world and the only in Patagonia progresses, unlike others, like the Upsala, which are in the process of extinction.
This advance of 100 meters approximately a year, generates another phenomenon of shocking beauty: the breaking of the dam that forms the Rico arm of Lake Argentino, as the advancing glacier touches the opposite coast and forms the dam that stops the passage of water. Then water seeps under the glacier and begins to undermine its base.
In 1917 the first break was recorded. The process has been repeated numerous times, at regular intervals that have even made fear for the disappearance of so prodigious spectacle. It is that compliance with a series of steps that rely heavily on the natural action and that the break occurs is needed as much of the harmful changes made by the man on the environment.
Lake Argentino, water mirror in which lies the town of Perito Moreno ice, has several arms. The arm called Rico is behind the Magallanes Peninsula and empties into Lake Argentino through the Icebergs Canal. When the glacier moves while playing reaches the coast of the peninsula a dam that prevents the arm Rico drain on the lake is formed.
This arm continues to receive water and snow to pass the level of the lake by 8 or 10 meters and increasing the pressure on the dam. For the pressure to decrease the water begins to seep sectors where the glacier has contact with the ground. The passage of water erodes the base of the dike until the pressure is unbearable and that’s when the long-awaited fracture, which generates witnessed the phenomenon in a deep and indelible shudder occurs.
One of the last breakups in 1988 and when he feared for his disappearance happened again with unexpected frequency in March 2004 and 2006. Experts say it is not possible to predict such an event.
There is every reason to be attentive to the work of the Perito Moreno ice. Each fracture is unique and unrepeatable. And while it is difficult to predict what will happen in the coming years, we can expect to happen again, to enjoy once again the beautiful spectacle of this Patagonian giant.
Another memorable was the 2008 breakup, to occur in winter witnessing an atypical event as these phenomena are common in summer.
From the Ministry of Tourism of Santa Cruz have clarified some mistakes people make when talking about the mythical Tan’s around expert. One of them has to do with the size of the colossus. The truth is that the Perito Moreno has a length of 30 km, an area of ​​257 km2 and a height ranging from 50 to 70 meters above the lake level.
Another relates to the idea that spreads about «the breaking of the Perito Moreno glacier occurs cyclically every four years.» The historical evidence shows that the first documented opening dates from 1917, without specifying the time of year; in 1926 the geologist and founder of paleontology museum of Trelew, Egidio Feruglio, spoke of an opening to «allow the passage of a small boat»; in February 1940 rupture occurs glaciario front, followed then 1942, 1947, 1949, June / July 1951, March 1952, March 1953, 1956 and then a big break until 1966.
Then, the frequency becomes even more variable: 1970, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1984 and 1988. From then on, a long silence broke in 2004, two years later in 2006, in 2008 in 2012 and in January 2013, although the latter is not technically considered a break because from the Los Glaciares National Park argue that it did not fully close the bridge.