Hello, Here is an update. We are in Huaraz, Peru. 10,000 feet in elevation. Was a tough climb to get here, but well worth it. We stopped at a town called Yungay, On May 31, 1970 the Ancash earthquake caused a substantial part of the north side of a mountain, Nevado Huascarán, to collapse and an unstable mass of glacial ice about 800 meters across at the top of Nevado Huascarán to fall. This caused a debris avalanche, burying the whole town of Yungay and killing 25,000 people. More than 50 million cubic meters of debris slid approximately 15 kilometers downhill at an angle of about 14 degrees. Speeds between 200 km/h to 400 km/h were achieved.[2] Only 92 people survived, most of whom were in the cemetery and stadium at the time of the earthquake, as these zones were the highest in town. The Peruvian government has forbidden excavation in the area where the old town of Yungay is buried, declaring it a national cemetery. The current town was rebuilt 1500 meters north of the destroyed city. The location of the former city. In 1962 two American scientists, David Bernays and Charles Sawyer, had reported seeing a massive vertical slab of rock being undermined by a glacier, which threatened to fall and cause the obliteration of Yungay. According to Sawyer, when this was reported in the Espreso newspaper (27 Sept., 1962), the government ordered them to retract or face prison, and they fled the country. Citizens were forcibly prevented from speaking of an impending disaster. Eight years later the prediction came true.[3][4] We will be in Huaraz for two days and then push on to 15,000 feet. I have enclosed some photos for you. Hope you enjoy. After cycling through the desert, the coast, we are back in the mountains again
Posted on: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:57:18 +0000
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