Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Scientists from China, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US) recently studied the inner workings of Uturuncu, a “zombie” volcano in Bolivia, and found that there is no immediate risk of eruption. Uturuncu is a stratovolcano located in the Andes Mountains of southwestern Bolivia and is made up mainly of dacitic lava domes and flows. It sits on top of a massive underground magma reservoir called the Altiplano-Puna Magma Body (APMB), which extends under southern Bolivia, northern Chile, and northern Argentina. Uturuncu is called a “zombie” volcano because it shows signs of activity without actual eruptions.

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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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The Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) recently scaled Mt. Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world. Mt. Makalu stands at 8,485 meters above sea level and is located in the Mahalangur range of the Nepal Himalayas on the Nepal-Tibet border. It lies 23 kilometers southeast of Mount Everest and is part of the Makalu Barun National Park. The mountain is famous for its pyramid-like shape with sharp ridges and includes two subsidiary peaks, Makalu I and Makalu II.

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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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Recently, the US President instructed his administration to rebuild and expand Alcatraz, the notorious prison that has been closed for over 60 years on an isolated island off California’s coast. Alcatraz Island, also known as “The Rock,” is a rocky landmass in San Francisco Bay, United States. In 1849, the island was sold to the U.S. government and became home to the first California lighthouse in 1854. By 1859, the first permanent army troops were stationed there, and in 1861, it became a military prison. In 1934, Alcatraz became a federal prison, housing some of the most dangerous criminals. The prison had the capacity to hold over 330 prisoners, but typically housed around 260 at a time. Known as the most inescapable prison in the United States, it operated as a maximum-security facility until 1963.

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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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Japan’s Sakurajima volcano erupted recently, sending a huge ash plume 3,000 metres above its crater. Sakurajima is one of the most active volcanoes in Japan and is located on the southern tip of Kyushu Island, just 4 kilometers from Kagoshima City. It stands at an elevation of 1117 metres and has a circumference of about 50 kilometres. It is a stratovolcano, formed from layers of lava and ash at a convergent plate boundary. The volcano was once an island, but a massive eruption in 1914 connected it to the mainland. It lies on the south rim of the Aira Caldera and has two main peaks — the North Peak and the South Peak. Sakurajima erupts frequently with ash, pyroclastic flows, volcanic bombs, and poisonous gases.

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The Perito Moreno Glacier is experiencing alarming changes. The glacier has been losing ice mass at about 0.85 meters per year since 2015. This rapid melting threatens local ecosystems and contributes to rising global sea levels.The Perito Moreno Glacier is located in Argentina. Specifically, it’s situated in the Argentine province of Santa Cruz, within the Los Glaciares National Park. It recently lost a massive block of ice, sparking concerns about its long-term stability. Known as the ‘White Giant’, it spans 250 square kilometres and formed around 18,000 years ago. It is a major freshwater source and has been part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site since 1981.

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India recently welcomed the United Kingdom’s decision to return the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, including the Diego Garcia atoll, to Mauritius under a historic agreement. The Chagos Islands are located in the central Indian Ocean, about 1,600 km south of India’s southern tip. These islands have been a British Overseas Territory since November 8, 1965. Key islands in the group include Diego Garcia, Danger Island, Egmont Islands, Eagle Islands, Nelsons Island, Peros Banhos, Three Brothers, and the Solomon Islands. Diego Garcia, the largest island covering 30 square kilometers, hosts a major United States military base. The islands are flat and low-lying, with most areas not rising more than 2 meters above sea level and having no rivers or lakes. They experience a tropical marine climate with high heat and humidity, moderated by trade winds.

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The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island recently erupted with lava fountains reaching over 1,000 feet high. Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. It is a shield-type volcano located in the southeastern part of the island of Hawaii in the state of Hawaii, United States. The volcano stands at 4,190 feet or 1,227 meters above sea level. Its summit caldera has a lava lake called Halemaʻumaʻu, believed to be the home of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess. Its slopes join with those of Mauna Loa volcano to the west and north. Kilauea has been erupting almost continuously since 1983. Its eruptions are mostly nonexplosive and usually remain within Halemaʻumaʻu, sometimes overflowing onto the caldera floor and sides.