After a recent round of measurements, experts believe that the peak of Mount Fansipan is higher than previously recorded.
At a press conference on June 26 organized by the Vietnam Department of Surveying and Cartography, geographers announced the data they recently collected on the height of Fansipan. The results show that its highest point is 3,147.3 meters, 4.3 meters higher than its previous and only measurement, reports Tuoi Tre.
According to Department Director Phan Duc Hieu, this was Vietnam’s first-ever effort to measure its highest point. The current measurement was conducted in 1909 by French colonial officials. Hieu explained at the event that his department made use of advanced technology to reach the figure, combining data from foreign global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), national satellites and the leveling technique.
Measurements were carried out continuously over 24 hours and compiled by the department using computer calculations. Hieu said that the discrepancy between the new reading and the previous measure could be due to several reasons, including tectonic movement and the inaccuracy of early 20th-century equipment. In 1909, French surveyors measured the difference in atmospheric pressure between the top and bottom point of the mountain to calculate the height, according to the director.
He added that they will conduct more tests in the future to determine the exact cause of the “growth,” but hypothesized that, because Fansipan is connected to the Himalayas, which are still rising annually, Vietnam’s highest peak might be affected by the same phenomenon. The department is also seeking permission from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to update textbooks and documents to reflect the new height.
Fansipan is the tallest mount in the Hoang Lien Son Range and is administratively part of Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province. Due to its altitude, it’s among the handful of places in Vietnam that experiences snow during colder months.
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