Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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A massive explosion recently hit Iran’s Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, causing a huge fire and leading to many deaths and injuries. The blast is suspected to have been caused by sodium perchlorate, a chemical used in ballistic missile propulsion. Shahid Rajaee Port is Iran’s largest and most advanced commercial port. It is located near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route through which about 26% of the world’s oil is transported. The port manages 85% of Iran’s container cargo, 52% of its oil trade, and over half of its total maritime cargo. It lies along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), linking the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea, Russia, and Northern Europe.

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Recently, scientists observed repeated unrest at Campi Flegrei between 1982–1984 and 2011–2024, involving land uplift, earthquakes, and underground rumbling due to rising fluid pressure. Campi Flegrei, also called the Phlegraean Fields, is an active volcanic system located near Naples, Italy. Unlike single-cone volcanoes like Mount Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei is a large caldera, which is a sunken volcanic area formed after a huge eruption. The caldera spans about 12 to 15 kilometers and was formed by a massive eruption nearly 39,000 years ago. That eruption may have triggered climate changes that contributed to the decline of Neanderthals.

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Scientists from the University of Oxford have suggested a new way to monitor volcanic eruptions using a method called shear-wave splitting. Shear-wave splitting happens when seismic waves travel at different speeds depending on their direction, especially through rocks with tiny cracks. This technique was studied at Mount Ontake in Japan, which is an active stratovolcano located on Honshū Island, near Tokyo. Mount Ontake is Japan’s second-highest volcano and lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire.

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The Shakargarh Bulge is a strategic area in Pakistani territory that sticks into India, located between the Ravi and Chenab rivers. It has flat terrain and lies close to key Indian cities like Amritsar, Pathankot, Batala, and Gurdaspur, with important road links to Jammu. This makes it a critical military corridor for both India and Pakistan. Recently, a major build-up of tanks and armoured vehicles by the Pakistan Army was spotted here. The area is historically significant as the site of the 12-day Battle of Basantar during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, which influenced the western front’s outcome.

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The Perito Moreno Glacier, also called the ‘White Giant’, is located near El Calafate in Santa Cruz, Argentina. It lies in the Andes Mountains of South America and is part of the Los Glaciares National Park, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. The glacier was formed about 18,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. It is now rapidly crumbling due to global warming and rising temperatures.

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Recently, the Birch Glacier in Switzerland collapsed, causing a huge landslide that partly buried Blatten village. The landslide also affected the flow of the Lonza River, increasing local risk. Birch Glacier is located in the Lötschental valley in northern Switzerland. Experts say that climate change played a key role in this disaster. Switzerland, which has the most glaciers in Europe, has lost nearly 40% of its glacial volume since 2000. This incident highlights the urgent impact of global warming on mountain ecosystems.

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Recently, Mount Etna volcano on Sicily island in Italy erupted, drawing global attention. It is the highest mountain on a Mediterranean island and the most active stratovolcano in the world. It is also recognised as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site.

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Guatemalan authorities recently evacuated over 500 people as Fuego Volcano released gas and ash. Volcan de Fuego, meaning “Volcano of Fire” in Spanish, is located in Guatemala and is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America. Fuego Volcano has erupted over 60 times since the year 1524, showing a long history of intense volcanic activity.

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Recently, a tragic incident occurred at Lake Tahoe where a boat capsized, causing the death of six people and leaving two missing. Lake Tahoe is a cobalt blue freshwater lake located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the border of California and Nevada, United States. Lake Tahoe contains extremely pure water, with 99.994% purity.

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Recently, a major wildfire broke out near the main town of Chios Island in the eastern Aegean Sea, with over 100 firefighters and water-dropping aircraft working to control the flames. Chios is a Greek island located in the Aegean Sea, just 8 kilometres off the western coast of Turkey. It is the fifth-largest island in Greece. Chios is known for producing mastic gum and is often called “the Mastic Island.”