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Natural Resource Ministry to Do Utmost to Save Geyser Valley
Russia’s Natural Resource Ministry has pledged to do utmost to save the Geyser Valley of Kamchatka Peninsula, which has been nearly ruined by the mud avalanche, Natural Resource Minister Yury Trutnev said during the government’s hour in Federation Council.
”If there is just a chance to save even a part of the Geyser Valley, we will take all actions to the effect,” the minister specified, acknowledging, however, that there is no hope that the valley will ever be as before.
The width of the dam that covered the river reached 400 meters, the minister specified. “If we start cleaning now, we will flood the Geyser Valley, if we don’t do it, the lake will flood it, what’s happening actually,” Trutnev explained.
A few geysers, including the biggest Velikan (the Giant), are outside the flood zone. “If the valley could be saved, we will take all actions,” the minister assured.
The mud avalanche descended to Geyser Valley June 3, 2007, building a dam of mud and stones that partitioned the river. The lake emerged in the river-valley and the level of water is rising there.
Kamchatka jewel, the Geyser Valley, was opened for tourists from 1991. Big numbers of active geysers concentrated in the area of four kilometers used to drive up the winter temperature by 15 Degree Centigrate to 20 Degree Centigrate above the temperature outside the valley.
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