New Zealand's largest glacier melting at fast pace

BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhuanet) -- The largest glacier in New Zealand is melting at its fastest pace in recent history, a scientist said Thursday.

The Tasman Glacier on South Island was 29 kilometers (18 miles) long in 1990, with virtually no lake at its front edge, Massey University glacier expert Martin Brook said. New measurements last week showed the glacier was 22 kilometers (14 miles) long, he said.

Meanwhile, a lake that has formed next to the glacier is now seven kilometers (4.4 miles) long, two kilometers (1.2 miles) wide and 245 meters (800 feet) deep, he said.

Despite global warming since the 1850s, the glacier had been protected "and kind of insulated" from the sun's heat by its cover of rock debris, but eventually a lake started to form, Brook said.

The lake is now eating away at the glacier, he said.

The ice cliff at the glacier's front edge is receding at a rate of 180 meters (590 feet) a year, its melt rate greatly aided by the lake water, Brook said.

As the glacial lake enlarges it will speed up the glacier's melt to between 500 and 800 meters (1,650 feet to 2,640 feet) a year, he said.

Other glaciers on South Island's central alps also are retreating rapidly, melted by warmer temperatures and lower snowfall levels.

(Agencies)