Kamchatka earthquake: Why the Ring of Fire remains Earth's deadliest zone

India Today

5 days ago

The massive earthquake that struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula this morning had a magnitude of 8.8. This earthquake is a clear example of why the Ring of Fire is notorious for powerful earthquakes and tsunamis, driven by subduction zone dynamics.The Ring of Fire is a horseshoe-shaped geological zone along the edges of the Pacific Ocean. It is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis because it lies at the boundaries of multiple tectonic plates, including the massive Pacific Plate and several surrounding smaller plates.advertisementThe 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the Kamchatka Peninsula, which triggered a tsunami, exemplifies the Ring of Fire's seismic activity. It occurred along the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench, where the Pacific Plate subducts beneath the Okhotsk Sea Plate. Wednesday's quake underscores the intense tectonic forces that define the region.
Tsunamis are often triggered by undersea earthquakes. (Photo: AP)
When underwater earthquakes occur, they can displace large volumes of water, generating tsunamis, as happened on Wednesday morning following the Kamchatka earthquake.The Ring of Fire gets its name from the intense volcanic and seismic activity that encircles the Pacific Ocean, resembling a "ring" of geological "fire" due to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.GEOLOGICAL DYNAMICS OF THE RING OF FIREThis zone stretches over 40,000 kilometers and is characterized by intense seismic and volcanic activity. The Ring of Fire contains about 75% of the world's active volcanoes and accounts for around 90% of the world's earthquakes.The horseshoe-shaped ring spans parts of continents and island chains, from the South Pacific islands to Japan, the Aleutian Islands, and down the coasts of North and South America.This region is critical because it affects millions of people across countries like Japan, Indonesia, and the United States. The high number of earthquakes and tsunamis in the Ring of Fire is primarily driven by the dynamics of tectonic plates. These plates are large, rigid slabs that make up Earth's crust and float on the semi-fluid mantle beneath. The Ring of Fire sits along the boundaries of several major plates: the large Pacific Plate and smaller ones such as the Philippine, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Nazca, North American, and Indo-Australian plates. Their constant motion and interaction at convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries generate continuous seismic and volcanic activity.HOW DIFFERENT KINDS OF SEISMIC ACTIVITY CAUSE QUAKESConvergent Boundaries and Subduction Zones:At convergent boundaries, tectonic plates collide. In many parts of the Ring of Fire, one plate is forced beneath another in a process called subduction. This is especially common where oceanic plates, such as the Pacific Plate, subduct beneath continental plates like the North American Plate (along the western coast of the Americas) or the Eurasian Plate (in Japan). Subduction zones are crucial for understanding the region's seismic behaviour.advertisementAs the denser oceanic plate sinks into the mantle, it is subjected to immense pressure and heat, causing it to melt and form magma. This magma rises through the overriding plate, often leading to volcanic eruptions. The bending and fracturing of the overriding plate during subduction also generates powerful earthquakes, such as the Kamchatka quake on Wednesday morning. Transform Faults:In other segments, such as along the western coast of North America, the Pacific Plate slides past the North American Plate at transform boundaries, such as the San Andreas Fault. These faults do not involve subduction but still cause earthquakes due to the friction and stress built up as the plates grind against each other. When this stress is released, it produces seismic waves and contributes to the region's high earthquake frequency.WHY RING OF FIRE IS PRONE TO QUAKESTsunamis, often triggered by undersea earthquakes, are another major hazard in the Ring of Fire. When a large earthquake strikes the ocean floor, it can displace enormous volumes of water, generating waves that move across the ocean at high speeds. The presence of deep ocean trenches and densely populated coastlines intensifies the risk.advertisementThe 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, caused by a magnitude 9.1–9.3 earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, led to catastrophic devastation across multiple countries, with waves reaching far beyond the epicenter.Similarly, the 2011 tsunami in Japan, triggered by the Tohoku earthquake, caused significant loss of life and widespread damage, demonstrating the persistent and deadly threat posed by seismic activity in the Ring of Fire.- EndsMust Watch