Giant iceberg breaks off from eastern Antarctica

ANTARCTICA — An iceberg has just broken off from Antarctica and is the biggest to do so in decades — but it's not caused by climate change.

USA Today reports that a huge iceberg broke off from the Amery Ice Shelf in Eastern Antarctica on September 26.

The iceberg, named D-28, has an area of over 1,636 square kilometers — bigger than Greater London or Los Angeles.

According to USA Today, scientists working with the Australian Arctic Division said they first discovered a rift in the early 2000s and have been observing it because they expected the ice to calve.

They said the calving is part of the ice shelf's normal cycle and not due to atmospheric warming, which mostly affects Western Antarctica, and not the east where D-28 is.

Since the ice shelf was already floating, the calving has no direct impact on sea levels. However, the loss of ice may influence melting under the remaining ice shelf.

Maritime authorities will now be tracking the iceberg, according to CNN, for the potential hazard it poses to shipping.

We don't want another Titanic do we?