2008/04/11

Another lake 'disappeared' in Chile


The planet is getting warmer, and nature is paying too high a price for it.

This morning my mother told me something she heard on the news, a lake in Chile disappeared. PUF!! What horrible nightmare!

Lago Cachet, a lake of glacial origin is not there anymore… AND IT IS NOT THE FIRST TIME something like this has happened!! This Chilean lake is empty: 200 thousand million liters of water gone in a few hours. The filtration also produced big floods on the neighboring glacier, Colonia.

When mom told me such thing this morning I had to read it myself, I searched for it online, and all I could find was news about another lake in Chile that disappeared in May 2007… You can read about that one here, here and here.

This afternoon I finally found information in English here, here, here and here, and this site in Spanish has a video here. If you have any information on other similar things please let me know, I do want to know the reaction and ACTION in other places.

Not much coverage outside of the Internet is given here for this phenomenon - media monsters are just ignoring it or presenting the news as a ‘curiosity’ a ‘fun fact’ or a ‘mystery’ and I believe it is way too serious to just ignore it or treat it like that.

I want to ask you to please try to find more information on this, share it with your friends and family, discuss it and try to get more people to know about it. Education and knowledge is the key for a positive change!

I know that all kind of phenomenon related to Global Warming is happening around the world, and most of them have no press or have some without a big fuss. Ecosystems disappear, entire habitats and their resident species gone, and we keep on damaging the ONLY place we have to live!

Anyway, sorry for the overload of Mel-emotion on this post, but it makes me sooo angry and frustrated! I have faith in my fellow bloggers, especially the ones who visit this blog now and then, and in the small but good efforts they make to try to create cleaner, healthier and safer environments for their families and communities. I know you will understand what I feel; because I’m sure you feel it too.

Thanks for reading this, I just had to tell you.

10 comments:

Stuart Price said...

I remember flying over the Andes in Venezuela and the pilot telling us to check out the glacier....it was so small I could hardly see it, apparently it has shrunk dramatically too.

Thanks for all your nice comments recently!

Mel said...

Yes, we have the same problem with Pastoruri in Huaraz (Peru), it's a shame, senseless loss :(

Anonymous said...

This is sad news. Climate change is affecting birds and nature in Germany, too.
Some birds from southern Europe are more common now in Germany than they were before (like Bee-Eater). But birds of the high mountains may loose precious habitat once the forests move up more closely to the mountain tops. This is just one sad example what happens when humans play with nature.

Amila Salgado said...

Hi Mel,
Thanks for sharing this.
Global Warming is real.
This is definitely a chilling piece of News from Chile!

Nature Nut /JJ Loch said...

I heard about this lake in Chile disappearing but hadn't seen a photo. Thanks for this post. It really brings it home. Scary.

Hugs, JJ

Mel said...

Hello guys!

Markus, it's sad to know what's happening in Germany, but is good to know that at least someone notices it enough to share it with others. THANKS!!

Hi Ami, I got a comment on facebook from a guy in the US saying that maybe that lake was drained for watering fields!! What????
That is the Patagonian Chile, it is a Natural Reserve, no resident humans but the rangers and guides and visitors...

Hola JJ, thanks for visiting. Glad to know you got to see here what could be the near future somewhere else. It is scary. Very scary.

RuthieJ said...

Oh Mel, that's so sad, that even in a wilderness area the effects of global warming are felt. I'm hopeful that the efforts of all of us as individuals will encourage each other and larger companies to take the necessary steps to save our planet. The alternative is truly too scary to think about!

Mel said...

Hi Ruthie,
Yes, it is sad and frustrating. It is annoying to find information like this and that sooo many people just ignore it!
I'm glad there is a bunch of people crazy for nature like you and me, that try to make their home, a better place :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Mel, You are SUCH a dear. PLEASE, ALWAYS speak your mind like this. It rings true and clear and strong. The world needs that. And yes, you did need to express this. We all do. I am so proud of you and what you are doing. You really are teaching the world in a loving, passionate and very real way. Thank you. Robin

PS I love your site. : )

Mel said...

Hola Robin, thanks for visiting and for your comments all over the blog. I believe we can make a difference, we have the power to change people and situations, both in a good or bad way, and I chose to try to do so. We can't expect others to do what we are not doing ourselves!