The world’s largest iceberg is splintering into pieces and shrinking fast, scientists said Thursday. A23A is no longer the biggest iceberg and could collapse entirely within weeks.

The giant berg broke off Antarctica’s Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf in 1986. For decades it stayed near the continent, until currents pushed it north toward South Georgia Island, where icebergs typically disintegrate.

Earlier this year, A23A was the size of Rhode Island and weighed a trillion tons. Now it is closer to the size of Houston. Britain’s D15A has overtaken it as the world’s largest iceberg, according to Andrew Meijers of the British Antarctic Survey.

NASA images show A23A spawning smaller chunks, labelled A23D, A23E and A23F, in recent days.

“It’s an interesting thing to watch, certainly not unprecedented,” said University of Colorado ice scientist Ted Scambos in an interview with The Associated Press. “But every time these happen, it’s sort of a big spectacular event.”

Scambos said the berg is being weakened by tides and waves, which expose hidden cracks. “I expect its fracturing will accelerate,” Meijers told AP in an email. By the end of spring, he expects it will break into pieces too small to track.

If A23A lasts into summer, Scambos warned the warmer waters could cause a rapid avalanche-like collapse in a single day.

Scientists stress that icebergs breaking apart do not raise sea levels directly. But shrinking ice shelves can allow land-based glaciers to melt faster into the ocean, which does contribute to rising seas, AP reported.

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With inputs from Associated Press