Ice Caves Displaying Beautiful Magical Rainbow May Be Deadly, As Warned By US Officials
The amusing “rainbow ice caves photos' ' captured at Mount Rainier National Park, United States have led the National Park Service to release a warning regarding the dangers of exploring such caves.
The images captured by Photographer Mathew Nicholas from the inside of one of the caves at the National Park demonstrate a melt-water channel flowing underneath the summer snow.
As shared on Instagram, the photographer expressed, I could not believe my eyes. I went up to Mt Rainier specifically to explore the ice caves and never imagined they would be so COLORFUL,"
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The sight of the magical rainbow was indeed beautiful, but the story changed the moment the NPS officials made their statements. The officials firmly discourage visitors from entering the caves. Through a press release, they expressed that the ice caves are susceptible to collapse as a result of melting.
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Since the process is accelerated during this time of the year, the chances of the collapse of the caves are higher right now.
What else can prove to be dangerous is the melt-water channels that travel beneath a perennial snowfield.
The press noted that “Collapse, or ice and rock fall could be fatal or cause serious injuries to those who venture inside or near the entrance."
The press also added that the people entering such caves/ channels are at risk of hypothermia, as a result of the combination of cold air temperatures inside and colder meltwater running from the snowfield. It also stated that the stream-causing hazards are higher at the noon.
Additionally, the NPOS officials informed that earlier, Mount Rainier National Park was one of those national parks that were famous for its well-developed ice caves. However, with the climate getting warmer every passing day, such caves have become unstable and risky areas.
The officials also said that the park shut down the ice caves in the 1980s as a result of unsafe conditions. Such unsafe conditions include huge flakes and ice chunks breaking loose or falling from the ceiling of the cave.
