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Malta's Azure Window Collapses Into the Sea (timesofmalta.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the gone-with-the-wind dept.

New submitter Duvzo writes: Sadly, our famous [Azure Window] landmark disappeared today, and not just the arch but the whole offshore stack has vanished. Strong gale force winds hit Malta yesterday, ultimately causing their landmark to collapse. Malta's prime minister, Joseph Muscat, said the news was heartbreaking. "Reports commissioned over the years indicated that this landmark would be hard hit by unavoidable natural corrosion. That sad day arrived," he said.

Slashdot reader Duvzo notes that the landmark was featured in Clash of the Titans and Game of Thrones. It served as the backdrop to the Dothraki wedding scene in the Game of Thrones.

7 of 84 comments (clear)

  1. Not a Microsoft story by jabberw0k · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just because an Azure instance crashes, along with an entire Windows stack, does not make this a news-for-nerds story.

  2. heh, geologists said "decades" left by iggymanz · · Score: 3, Interesting

    in 2013 geologists said the thing probably had decades left, but when a geologist says something will happen to a rock formation in timeframe that is anything less than thousand years...well that's the same as saying "very soon and any time now"

    The arch was remains of caves that collapsed, and also being made of limestone not surprising the rest of it was doomed.

    1. Re:heh, geologists said "decades" left by TeknoHog · · Score: 3, Funny

      It didn't help that people kept tombstoning off it despite fences and signs saying please don't because it's fragile and you're wearing it away by doing so.

      I still have a piece of it in my necklace, but fortunately I'm far up North now, so you might say I'm wearing it away. Not to be pendantic or anything.

      --
      Escher was the first MC and Giger invented the HR department.
  3. Russians by ScentCone · · Score: 3, Funny

    I dare say we know who is responsible for this, as in all things.

    --
    Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
  4. Re:Melodramatic much? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 3, Insightful

    How is this heartbreaking? Maybe they are heartbroken that fewer tourists will visit them? Natural formations change all the time. The planet does not stand still.

    I visited New Hampshire shortly after their iconic "Old Man of the Mountain' geological feature collapsed. Most people were pretty upset.

    The reasons? No doubt it was something that had "always been there" during these folks lifetime. If you look at how upset some Slashdotters are about change, it might start to make some sense.

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
  5. If only it were repeatable... by gwolf · · Score: 3, Interesting

    One of Argentina's natural landmarks is the yearly fall of the Perito Moreno glaciar bridge. People come from around the world to the specific place this natural monument gets formed towards the end of the winter and watch it collapse.

    Fortunately, it is a repeatable build.

  6. Re:Melodramatic much? by Pascoea · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Geologic feature disappears, Slashdot readers are indifferent. Headphone jack disappears, Slashdot readers lose their mind.