Indonesia hit by Volcanic Tsunami

On 22^nd December 2018, Indonesia was hit by a Tsunami. As the giant tsunami waves crashed into coastal towns on the islands of Sumatra and Java, at least 281 people were killed and 1,016 were injured.

About Tsunami

Tsunami refers to a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake.
Tsunamis are different from the normal sea waves. Normal waves are generated due to the wind and Tides are generated due to the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun, whereas Tsunami is generated by an abrupt movement on the ocean floor due to the triggering points like Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, underwater explosions, landslides, glacier calving or meteorite impacts.
Tsunami waves have a large wavelength in the open ocean. As the Tsunami waves reach shallow water near shores they grow rapidly in size and make a landfall causing large-scale destruction.

Volcanic Tsunami of Indonesia

The Tsunami which Indonesia witnessed on 22nd December is attributed to the collapse in the west-southwest flank of the Anak Krakatau volcano. The collapse resulted in millions of tonnes of rocky debris plunging into the sea. This resulted in the displacement of large volumes of water resulting in Tsunami waves.

Anak Krakatau

Indonesia lies on the Pacific ring of fire. This makes Indonesia vulnerable to earthquakes. Indonesia also houses 127 active volcanoes and one of these volcanoes is the Anak Krakatau.
Anak Krakatau is a volcanic island formed in 1927 after the Krakatoa volcano eruption. The Anak Krakatau was erupting from June 2018. The authorities have warned that there can be an eruption again and have advised people to stay away from the coast for a while.

Ring of Fire

Ring of Fire is an area in the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent. The Ring of Fire is a direct result of the movement and collisions of lithospheric plates of the earth.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2018