Giant iceberg spotted south of Australia

A monster iceberg nearly twice the size of Hong Kong island has been spotted drifting towards Australia in what scientists called a once-in-a-century event.

A monster iceberg nearly twice the size of Hong Kong island has been spotted drifting towards Australia in what scientists on Wednesday called a once-in-a-century event.

Australian glaciologist Neal Young pinpointed the slab,which is some 19 kilometres long and about 1,700 kilometres south of the country,using satellite imagery.

He said he was not aware of such a large iceberg being found in the area since the days when 19th century clipper ships plied the trade route between Britain and Australia.

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“I don’t recall any mention of one for a long,long time,” Young,of the Australian Antarctic Division and Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre,told AFP.

“I’m guessing you would probably have to go back to the times of the clipper ships.”

Young said the iceberg measured about 140 square kilometres. Hong Kong island’s surface area is about 80 square kilometres.

The glaciologist said the iceberg carved off the Antarctic about 10 years ago and had been slowly floating round the icy continent before taking the unusual route north.

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He said the “very,very big” iceberg was originally about 400 square kilometres but then split into two smaller pieces.

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