Ice movement in the settlement of Bolshye Koty

The berth of LIN SB RAS in the settlement of Bolshye Koty is L- shaped, the Institute`s ships moor on its long side, and on its short side there are two frame rooms with a system of experimental aquariums and Baikal Atmospheric-Limnological Observatory, which is operated jointly with Institute of Atmospheric Optics SB RAS (Tomsk).

On March 21, 2026, there was a powerful movement of ice in South Baikal. By tragic accident, a new crack passed exactly through the junction of the two sides of the berth. As a result of this, the short side of the berth was turned upside down, and the flooring on which the premises were located turned inside out. Today, all the premises are not damaged, and at the time of the accident, scientific experiments were not carried out in them, no one was hurt.

For many years, the huge crack has been located 50-100 meters offshore from the berth, and this year it is still in the same place. However, the winter and spring of 2026 are marked by significant temperature fluctuations in the atmosphere, which lead to many intense fractures and ice ride ups along the shoreline. Since this crack is still “alive” in order to minimize the pressure of ice from the side of Lake Baikal, the ice cover will be sawn along the berth. To prevent the flooring from slipping, it will be fixed to the remaining part of the berth. A commission was created to assess the material-technical consequences of the accident.