One-trillion ton iceberg breaks off from Antarctic ice shelf

One of the biggest icebergs on record has broken away from Antarctica, creating extra hazards for passing ships.

Weighing one trillion tons, and covering an area of roughly 5,800 square kilometers, it calved away from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica sometime between July 10 to 12. It is roughly the size of the US state of Delaware or the Indonesian Island of Bali.

The iceberg, likely to be named A68, was already floating before it broke away so there has been no immediate impact on sea levels, but the calving has left the Larsen C ice shelf reduced by about an eighth.

The iceberg was part of the Antarctic peninsula that has been getting warmer in recent decades.

(CGTN)