Geyser Valley, Kamchatka

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On June 2, a devastating mudslide in the world-renowned Geyser Valley on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia virtually obliterated the natural wonder, forcing the emergency evacuation of visitors and national park personnel. The site, which is the Kamchatka Peninsula's main tourist attraction, consists of some 200 thermal pools created by the area's intense volcanic activity, including about 90 geysers covering an area of four square kilometers (2.5 square miles). It is one of only five sites in the world where the impressive eruptions of steam and boiling-hot water can be found. According to witnesses, a powerful mudslide 1.5 kilometers (one mile) long and 200 meters (600 feet) wide buried more than two-thirds of the valley beneath tens of meters of snow, dirt, trees and boulders (right image), and created a temporary lake submerging more geysers. These 2 ASTER images were acquired September 2005 (left) and June 11, 2007, cover an area of 6 x 7.5 km, and are centered near 54.5 degrees north latitude, 160.1 degrees east longitude.

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