France: Pocket of glacial water at Mont Blanc World Heritage site could burst, causing catastrophe, officials say
France (Reuters) - A pocket of water big enough to fill 20 Olympic pools, trapped inside a glacier on Mont Blanc, could burst at any time and endanger lives in a French Alpine valley, officials said Thursday.
Researchers at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) said 65,000 cubic meters of water discovered inside the Tte-Rousse glacier could explode and destroy everything in its path, including nearby villages and nearly 900 homes.
Such a catastrophe happened in the area in 1892, killing around 200 people.