- An ice shelf the size of Manhattan collapsed in East Antarctica, scientists announced Friday.
- The region was previously thought to be stable and mainly unaffected by climate change.
- This is the first time an ice shelf has ever collapsed in this region of the continent.
An Antarctic ice shelf the size of New York City — an area previously thought to be stable and mostly unaffected by climate change — has collapsed, scientists announced Friday, according to the Associated Press.
The unexpected collapse marks the first time in history that East Antarctica has seen an ice shelf collapse, the AP reported.
Scientists said the shelf collapsed as temperatures soared in the region last week, according to the AP.
Areas of East Antarctica were reporting temperatures more than 70 degrees Fahrenheit above average.
"We probably are seeing the result of a lot of long-time increased ocean warming there," ice scientist Catherine Walker of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute said. "it's just been melting and melting."
She added that last week's increased temperatures were "probably is something like, you know, the last straw on the camel's back."
Scientists believe the shelf fell sometime between March 14 and March 16, Walker said, the AP reported.
The concerning collapse shows that even areas scientists thought were safe from the effects of the climate crisis are not so unaffected after all, scientists told AP.
"The Glenzer Conger ice shelf presumably had been there for thousands of years and it's not ever going to be there again," said University of Minnesota ice scientist Peter Neff.
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.