Chile's public works ministry (MOP) is evaluating and implementing a number of measures to prevent floods and monitor hydrological resources affected by climate change, a MOP official told BNamericas.
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Earlier this week, the ministry's water authority DGA began to monitor the Baker river's water flow level in region XI, which rose surprisingly fast due to the higher than expected melting of the Colonia glacier.
The water level increased by 4.28m in only a few hours, going from 1.5m to roughly 5.80m, a DGA official told BNamericas.
A similar situation took place in April this year, an occurrence known as glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF).
"As the entity in charge of monitoring water resources and glaciers, the recurrence of this phenomenon in such a short period of time attracts our attention, and leads us to carry out more studies in the area," DGA general director Rodrigo Weisner said.
The entity is monitoring the Colonia glacier and lake, and also major glaciers throughout the country.
MOP has already confirmed that glaciers are melting much faster than in the previous decade, and the increase has surpassed projections regarding climate change, the official said.
Authorities all over the world are currently discussing joint initiatives to try and reduce the effects of global warming and decelerate the speed at which the world's temperature is increasing.
SEAWATER LEVEL INCREASE
Scientists from Germany's Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research said this week that seawater levels will increase by 1m this century due to global warming, press reported.
According to the scientists, 20% of Greenland's ice melting can be directly attributed to carbon dioxide emissions from Chinese thermal plants.
A number of countries are already implementing measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, including Chile, which is a leader in terms of environmental policies in Latin America, said the official, adding that the country seeks to meet European standards, which are much higher than standards implemented in the US.
MAIPO RIVER
In the meantime, authorities are undertaking a number of initiatives to prevent damage caused by floods.
MOP is currently investing 1.4bn pesos (US$2.3mn) in works to prevent floods along the Maipo river, the ministry reported in a release.
MOP minister Sergio Bitar inspected the works, which consist of building retaining walls to prevent the risk of losing agricultural production in the metropolitan region's Melipilla district.
The works will benefit districts San Rafael, La Puntilla, Puro and San Antonio de Naltahaua.
"We have come to supervise an emergency project that is very important to agricultural producers, which is the protection of the Maipo river's banks," said Bitar.
The project will protect a total 500ha and also prevent the flooding of local roads.
The project is being carried out by MOP's water works division.
