Once considered one of the world's few stable glaciers, Perito Moreno, one of Argentina's most famous landmarks and a symbol of the Patagonian ice region, is melting and shrinking at a rate unprecedented in history.
According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Argentina, on October 3, Luciano Bernacchi, Director of the Glacier Center (which monitors glaciers in coordination with the Los Glaciares National Park Management Board), warned that the Perito Moreno glacier had shrunk by approximately 910 meters in just 100 days. This figure officially breaks the previous record of 750 meters of shrinkage, which was recorded in 1899.
Drone footage shows that from the end of February to the beginning of June, Perito Moreno lost approximately 0.65 km² of ice area. Overall, during the 2025-2026 summer season in the Southern Hemisphere, the total area of ice that has shrunk will reach 1.46 km².
Experts believe the rate of glacier decline may accelerate. This is due to a combination of climate change, water depth, and the topography of the bottom of Lake Argentino.
In particular, the ice mass losing its natural support on the underwater rock formations beneath the lake (approximately 60 meters below water level) caused the glacier's front end to slide and retreat more rapidly.
Located within Los Glaciares National Park (Santa Cruz province, Patagonia region), the Perito Moreno Glacier is 30 km long and a popular tourist attraction, drawing up to 700,000 visitors annually.
Between 1999 and 2013, the area maintained remarkable stability, with the front elevation fluctuating by less than 50 meters. However, the decline began in 2018 and is now occurring at an alarming rate.
Source : https://www.vietnamplus.vn/khi-thanh-tri-bang-tuyet-argentina-tan-chay-voi-toc-do-ky-luc-post1139936.vnp
