. | . |
France drains glacier to protect village from flood Saint-Gervais-Les-Bains, France (AFP) Aug 25, 2010 French authorities set about draining a lake trapped beneath a glacier in the Mont Blanc Alpine range on Wednesday to protect thousands of people in the valley below from a flood. Workers toiled at an altitude of 3,200 metres (10,500 feet), pouring hot water on the ice to make a hole through which they will push a pump and start tapping off the water that has accumulated below one of the glaciers. Some 65,000 cubic metres (2.3 million cubic feet) of water have gathered in a cavity which is under immense pressure from the ice above. They estimated that if the water burst out it could flood the nearby valley of Saint-Gervais in half an hour and "nearly 900 families could be affected," Saint-Gervais-les-Bains mayor Jean-Marc Peillex told AFP. "Some people moved away after we announced the operation, perhaps because they don't trust the alert system. Others aren't too concerned," he said. The area is also a popular spot for skiers and summer holidaymakers. The pump, which can pass 50 cubic metres of water an hour, aims "to let out an initial jet of water... to avoid the pressure-cooker effect," Peillex said. "These first cubic metres of water are the most important," said the head of the operation, Nicolas Karr of the mountain conservation service. "They will allow us to secure the site by lowering the pressure." The pump is targeting the main cavity containing 25,000 cubic metres and could also drain other surrounding pockets -- but draining away the contents entirely will take weeks, the team said. Workers hope that "by pumping at this spot they will be able also to collect water trapped in other cavities" linked to the main one, and drain it away, said glaciologist Christian Vincent of the state scientific research body CNRS. Three more powerful pumps will be flown by helicopter to help with the job, due to last until October, operating 24 hours a day with a team of 15 workers sleeping on the mountain and looked after by mountain guides. "A month from now it will be much more difficult. There's a risk it will start snowing and we would have to deal with the risk of an avalanche," said one guide, Alban Faure. An eruption from a similar lake under the glacier in 1892 caused a torrential flood of water, rocks and earth which engulfed the valley and killed 175 people, almost wiping out the village of Bionnay. "Even if there is a real risk of a catastrophe, it's years since we've been evacuated," said one resident of Bionnay, 44-year-old teaching assistant Marie-Claire Durand. Another resident, Marguerite Legon, said she was worried about the flood threat. "I can't wait for it to be finished," she told AFP. "It has ruined my summer."
Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters When the Earth Quakes A world of storm and tempest
Niger hit by 'double' disaster of drought, floods: Oxfam London (AFP) Aug 24, 2010 Aid agency Oxfam warned Tuesday of a "double disaster" for millions of people in Niger where heavy rains and flooding are compounding food shortages caused by a prolonged drought. The United Nations says more than seven million people are facing starvation in Niger - more than half the population - following the drought, and Oxfam says the few crops that survived are now being destroyed by ... read more |
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2010 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |