Why in the News?

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted on Indonesia's Flores Island, killing at least 10 people and destroying homes, including a convent. The eruption scattered volcanic debris up to 6 kilometers, affecting 10,000 residents across multiple villages. Authorities have raised the alert level to the highest status as rescuers search for more victims amid ongoing seismic activity. It is not uncommon for Indonesia to witness such volcanic eruptions as it is situated along the famous ‘Ring of Fire’ in the Pacific region.

The Pacific Ring of Fire

• The Ring of Fire, also referred to as the Circum-Pacific Belt, is a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
• The majority of Earth’s volcanic eruptions and earthquakes take place along the Ring of Fire.
• It is stretched to approximately 40,000 kilometers (24,900 miles) tracing boundaries between several tectonic plates including the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Indian Australian, Nazca, North American and Philippine Plates.
• Countries Covered: Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, United States, Canada, Russia, Japan, Philippines, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, New Zealand and Antarctica
• It is home to more than 450 active and dormant volcanoes (75% of Earth’s total volcanoes) forming a semicircle or horseshoe around the rim of the Pacific Ocean.
• The Mount Tambora of Indonesia, which erupted in 1815 was the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history.
• It has been the setting for the most devastating earthquakes in recorded history, including the Chile earthquake of 1960 and 2010, the Alaska earthquake of 1964 and the Japan earthquake of 2011 as well as the earthquake that produced the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004.