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Tonga
Volcanic Eruption and Tsunami
On Saturday, the Pacific island nation of Tonga was struck by a massive eruption of the underwater volcano known as Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai. The eruption released a cloud of ash that reached over 12 miles (20 km) into the air and darkened the skies of the capital of Nuku’alofa 45 miles (70 km) away, causing a tsunami wave that inundated Tonga’s shorelines and effected damage across the Pacific. The atmospheric shockwave of the eruption was detected as far away as the Midwestern United States and the United Kingdom. Communications with Tonga remain limited as the underwater communication cables serving the country has been destroyed. Only three deaths have been reported as yet, however Tonga is appealing for significant aid, most of which will come via Australia and New Zealand. Some geologists are warning that an even larger eruption could still be in store from Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai.
This map depicts the location of the Pacific island nation of Tonga and the locations across the Pacific Ocean affected by a tsunami caused by the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano on Saturday. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Al Jazeera
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Afghanistan
Earthquakes Kills 26
Two earthquakes measuring 5.3 and 4.9 struck in the Qadis district of Afghanistan’s Badghis province on Monday, killing at least 26 people. The victims were crushed as the roofs of their houses collapsed in the quake. The destruction comes at a particularly challenging time for the country, as the region is one of the worst affected by drought, and international aid into the country has been limited due to the Taliban takeover of the country last August. The area frequently suffers earthquakes as it’s situated in the Hindu Kush mountains where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates are constantly pushing up against each other.
This map depicts the epicenter of an earthquake which struck Afghanistan’s Badghis province on Monday, killing at least 26 people. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: France24.com
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United Arab Emirates
Houthi Drone Attack
Houthi rebels from Yemen have claimed responsibility for drone attacks on the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) capital city of Abu Dhabi on Monday. As a fire broke out in the city’s main international airport, three fuel tanker trucks were targeted in another region of the city miles away. The latter blast, in a neighborhood that houses an oil pipeline network and fuel storage tanks, killed three bystanders and injured another six. UAE police reported that preliminary investigations detected small flying objects that fell in the two areas, most likely belonging to drones, that caused the explosions. The UAE supports the Yemeni government and militias who have been at war with the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen since 2015.
This map depicts the two areas in Abu Dhabi where drone attacks started a fire and a large explosion. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Where must you stand on Earth to be closest to the moon? Hint: It’s not on Mount Everest!
A: Mount Chimborazo
Although Mount Everest is 29,035 ft above sea level, you’d still be closer to the moon standing on Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, at only 20,548 ft. This is due to the obtuse shape of the earth, making it bulge near the middle, due to its rotation. This means that if you are standing on the equator at sea level, you are about 13 miles further from the center of the earth than someone standing at the poles. Mount Chimborazo sits just one degree of latitude south of the equator, so earth’s natural bulges give it a boost. If one were standing on the tip of Chimborazo, they would be 1.5 miles closer to the moon than on Everest!
Source
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Q: Which country saw the most volcanic eruptions in 2021?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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