Landslide buries Russian geysers
The valley, one of only five places in the world where geysers and springs regularly eject boiling water and steam (above), was buried
in less than three minutes under muddy water, rocks and trees.
However, initial concerns that the devastation might be permanent were quelled after eyewitnesses reported that the area was already showing signs of recovery and that several geysers had started to reappear just a week after the landslide. ‘These events testify to the fact that it’s not necessary to take aggressive measures to restore the valley to its original form,’ said Laura Williams, director of WWF’s Kamchatka office.
The Kamchatka Peninsula is located on the volatile Ring of Fire, which encircles the Pacific Ocean basin and is one of the world’s most seismically active zones. Much of the peninsula has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site as it has the world’s highest density of volcanoes – a total of 160, of which 29 are active.
August 2007
in less than three minutes under muddy water, rocks and trees.
However, initial concerns that the devastation might be permanent were quelled after eyewitnesses reported that the area was already showing signs of recovery and that several geysers had started to reappear just a week after the landslide. ‘These events testify to the fact that it’s not necessary to take aggressive measures to restore the valley to its original form,’ said Laura Williams, director of WWF’s Kamchatka office.
The Kamchatka Peninsula is located on the volatile Ring of Fire, which encircles the Pacific Ocean basin and is one of the world’s most seismically active zones. Much of the peninsula has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site as it has the world’s highest density of volcanoes – a total of 160, of which 29 are active.
August 2007
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