Greenland Ice Melt Wipes Out Bridge

In what could be a watery preview of things to come, a massive ice melt in Greenland has wiped out part of a bridge and roadways. A sudden hike in air temperature caused an unprecedented ice thaw, and triggered a flooding runoff from Russell glacier, destroying a key crossing near a research and transportation hub in western Greenland, reports the Guardian.

The bridge over the Watson River at Kangerlussuaq, site of Greenland's largest airport, was built in the 1950s, and has been buffeted by growing melts triggered by global warming over the last few years. "The midsummer floods have been growing and threatening this bridge, and finally took it out," said Ohio State University glaciologist Jason Box. He has warned that melts are now accelerating at alarming rates in Greenland because the vanishing snow and ice are losing their protective, reflective capacities. (More Kangerlussuaq stories.)