Massive Earthquake Hits Taiwan: What is the Ring of Fire?
Recently, a massive earthquake struck Taiwan, causing significant damage and casualties. The earthquake, measuring 7.2 magnitude according to Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency and 7.4 according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), was the biggest earthquake to hit the island in at least 25 years. The epicentre was located just 18 kilometres south-southwest of Hualien County in eastern Taiwan.
Casualties and Damage
The earthquake resulted in the deaths of nine people and injured more than 800 others. Multiple aftershocks were experienced, including one with a magnitude of 6.5, according to USGS. The damage caused by the earthquake is yet to be fully assessed, but initial reports suggest significant destruction to infrastructure and buildings.
Taiwan’s Location on the Ring of Fire
Taiwan is prone to earthquakes as it lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire” – a region where 90% of the world’s earthquakes take place. The island and its surrounding waters have registered about 2,000 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.0 or greater since 1980, and more than 100 earthquakes with a magnitude above 5.5, according to the USGS.
What is the Ring of Fire?
The Ring of Fire is a string of hundreds of volcanoes and earthquake-sites which runs along the Pacific Ocean. It is a semicircle or horseshoe in shape and stretches nearly 40,250 kilometres. The Ring of Fire traces the meeting points of numerous tectonic plates, including the Eurasian, North American, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Caribbean, Nazca, Antarctic, Indian, Australian, Philippine, and other smaller plates, which all encircle the large Pacific Plate.
It runs through 15 more countries, including the USA, Indonesia, Mexico, Japan, Canada, Guatemala, Russia, Chile, Peru and the Philippines.
Why is the Ring of Fire Vulnerable to Earthquakes?
The Ring of Fire witnesses so many earthquakes due to the constant sliding past, colliding into, or moving above or below each other of the tectonic plates. As the edges of these plates are quite rough, they get stuck with one another while the rest of the plate keeps moving. An earthquake occurs when the plate has moved far enough and the edges unstick on one of the faults.
Taiwan experiences earthquakes due to the interactions of two tectonic plates — the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate.
Why are there so many Volcanoes in the Ring of Fire?
The existence of volcanoes in the Ring of Fire is also due to the movement of tectonic plates. Many of the volcanoes have been formed through a process known as subduction. It takes place when two plates collide with each other and the heavier plate is shoved under another, creating a deep trench. Most of the subduction zones on the planet are located in the Ring of Fire and that’s why it hosts a large number of volcanoes.
