By Desmond Nleya
DUBAI-A small floating island in Canada’s British Columbia province has been found again after officials temporarily lost track of it.
The forest-covered island was first spotted by boaters in Williston Reservoir, the largest freshwater lake in British Columbia, in August. A video showing the unusual island floating on the water quickly became popular on social media.
At first, Bob Gammer of BC Hydro thought the video might have been created using artificial intelligence. However, satellite images taken on July 21 confirmed that the island was real.
The island is estimated to cover about 9,800 square metres, roughly the size of one Canadian football field or one-and-a-half American football fields.
A satellite image taken on August 5 appeared to show that the island had disappeared, leaving officials wondering whether it had sunk or floated somewhere else.
However, BC Hydro has now found the island again. New satellite images and reports from pilots flying over the area showed that it had simply drifted towards the shore. It was found about 30 kilometres from where it was originally spotted.
Officials believe the island may have formed over many years as driftwood collected together and created a floating base where plants and trees were able to grow. They believe it may have broken away from the shoreline after water levels in the reservoir rose to their highest level since 2012.
Floating islands have also been found in other parts of North America. For example, Wisconsin’s Lake Chippewa has a famous floating bog known as the Forty Acre Bog.
BC Hydro has warned people not to try to walk on the floating island because it is unstable and could break apart.
“It could break apart,” Gammer warned.
