Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Recently, about 25 visitors were injured after a swarm of bees attacked tourists at Sinhagad Fort, bringing the historic site into news. Sinhagad, earlier known as Kondhana, is an ancient hill fortress located near Pune, Maharashtra, in the Sahyadri range and is believed to be around 2,000 years old. The fort was captured in 1340 CE by Muhammad bin Tughlaq and later controlled by the Nizam Shahi dynasty. Shivaji captured the fort in 1647, but it was handed to the Mughals under the Treaty of Purandar. It was recaptured in 1670 by Tanaji Malusare during the Battle of Sinhagad, where he sacrificed his life. After this victory, the fort was renamed Sinhagad (Lion’s Fort).

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Recently, tourism to Gurudongmar Lake has started reviving after more than two years, following damage caused by the South Lhonak Lake Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) which destroyed road infrastructure. Gurudongmar Lake lies in North Sikkim close to the Tibet border of China. It is one of the highest lakes in India and the world, surrounded by snow-covered Himalayan mountains. The lake is mainly glacier-fed and contributes water to Tso Lhamo Lake, which later forms the source of the Teesta River. It is considered sacred by Buddhists, Sikhs, and Hindus.

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Roopkund Lake, popularly called Skeleton Lake, is a small glacial lake famous for hundreds of human skeletons found around it. It lies at 5,029 metres (16,500 ft) in the Garhwal Himalayas near the base of Mount Trishul, Uttarakhand. The lake is only about 130 feet wide and remains frozen for most of the year, revealing skeletons when ice melts. Skeletons were first noticed in 1942 by a British forest ranger. Scientific studies using radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis found over 300 individuals.

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Illegal earth cutting is reported near Deepor Beel in Guwahati, despite restrictions by the Gauhati High Court and district administration. Deepor Beel is a permanent freshwater lake on the outskirts of Guwahati in Assam. It lies in a former channel of the Brahmaputra River; “Beel” means lake in Assamese. The wetland covers about 4.1 sq km and is among the largest lakes in the Brahmaputra Valley of Lower Assam. Main inflow rivers are Kalmani River and Basistha River, while outflow occurs through Khandajan rivulet joining the Brahmaputra. It functions as the main stormwater storage basin for Guwahati city.

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Kolleru Lake has shown a measurable ecological decline over the last 50 years as highlighted by environmental activists. It is a shallow lake located in Andhra Pradesh between Krishna and Godavari river deltas near Eluru. It acts as a natural flood-balancing reservoir for Krishna River and Godavari River. It is known as “Fisherman’s Paradise” and “Bird Heaven” due to rich biodiversity. It receives water from Budameru, Ramileru, Tammileru, and Errakalva rivers

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A massive avalanche occurred at Zojila Pass, a key high-altitude pass. It is called the “Mountain Pass of Blizzards” and lies on Srinagar–Kargil–Leh highway (NH-1) in the Greater Himalayas. An avalanche is a sudden movement of a large mass of snow down a slope. It is dangerous as it can bury or sweep away everything in its path. Avalanches are more likely on steep slopes without trees or rocks. These natural barriers usually help in holding snow in place.

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Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a strategic narrow waterway amid rising West Asia tensions. It is called the “Gate of Tears” due to frequent historical shipwrecks. It lies at the southern end of the Red Sea, between Yemen and the Horn of Africa. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and further to the Indian Ocean. It separates Arabia (Asia) from Africa and links to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal.

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A Comptroller and Auditor General of India report highlighted that 518 lakes (74%) in Jammu and Kashmir have disappeared or shrunk, causing ecosystem degradation and climate risks. Hokersar Lake is a high-altitude wetland in Baramulla district, Jammu and Kashmir, at 1,583 m elevation. Known as the “Queen Wetland of Kashmir,” it is a Ramsar Site (designated 2005). It is connected to the Jhelum River through channels sustaining its ecosystem.

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More than 1,000 Roman artefacts were discovered in Lake Neuchatel, Switzerland, providing insights into life during the Roman Empire. Lake Neuchâtel is the largest lake entirely within Switzerland and lies at the base of the Jura Mountains. It was formed during the last Ice Age (period of extensive glaciation about 15,000 years ago) due to melting glaciers carving valleys. The lake is about 38.3 kilometres (km) long and 8.2 km wide, covering 212.33 square kilometres (sq km).

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Sakurajima Volcano is located on the southern tip of Kyushu Island near Kagoshima city in Japan. It is one of Japan’s most active stratovolcanoes, with frequent eruptions of varying intensity. It is an andesitic volcano with high viscosity magma and high gas content, leading to explosive eruptions. It lies on a convergent plate boundary and forms part of the Aira Caldera system. The volcano consists of two main peaks: Kitadake (north) and Minamidake (south). Recent eruptions have sent large ash plumes, impacting nearby regions.