Places in News Current Affairs MCQs

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Researchers studied the ratio of small to large earthquakes beneath Mount Etna and found it strongly linked to volcanic activity over the past 20 years. Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. Sicily is a part of Italy. It lies at the convergent boundary of the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe and the highest mountain in Italy south of the Alps. The volcano’s eruptive history dates back 500,000 years, with 2,700 years well documented. It was featured in ancient Greek legends. Mount Etna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Recently, a new study found that land-use change caused the loss of nearly 75% of natural plant species on the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. Mount Kilimanjaro is located in northeastern Tanzania. It is Africa’s tallest mountain (5,895 metres) and the world’s largest free-standing mountain, meaning it is not part of any range. It is a stratovolcano made up of three volcanic cones — Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira.

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Lake Suchitlán in El Salvador is facing a crisis due to the rapid spread of invasive water lettuce. Lake Suchitlán is located in El Salvador. Water lettuce is a perennial, free-floating aquatic weed found in tropical regions across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. It is also called water cabbage, Nile cabbage, or shellflower. The plant has lettuce-like leaves with long, feathery white to tan roots hanging below.

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Recently, Google announced plans to set up a large Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centre on Christmas Island, located in the Indian Ocean. The project follows a cloud partnership signed earlier this year with the Australian Department of Defence. Christmas Island lies about 360 km south of Java and 1,400 km northwest of mainland Australia. It is an external territory of Australia. The island forms the summit of an oceanic mountain, with Murray Hill (361 metres) as its highest point. Its main settlement and port is Flying Fish Cove, situated on the northeastern coast.

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A drying climate in East Africa caused Lake Turkana’s water levels to drop, triggering earthquakes and volcanic activity beneath it. Lake Turkana, formerly Lake Rudolf, is a vast, shallow lake in northern Kenya, extending slightly into Ethiopia. It lies along the Eastern Rift Valley, separated from Lake Logipi by volcanic formations called the Barriers.

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Recently, the trekking route to Kafni Glacier in Uttarakhand was highlighted as unsafe and abandoned since the 2013 flash floods. Kafni Glacier lies in the Kumaon Himalayas, Uttarakhand, and feeds the Kafni River, which later joins the Pindar River. It is known as a hidden Himalayan gem with quiet trails, alpine meadows, and scenic high-altitude views. The trek traditionally began from Khati village and passed through Dwali to reach the glacier’s Zero-Point. The 2013 floods destroyed bridges and trails, and the damaged infrastructure still makes the route inaccessible even after more than 10 years.

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The Rajasthan High Court recently sought a detailed conservation plan from the state government due to rising ecological threats to Gadisar Lake in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Gadisar Lake is a 14th-century artificial reservoir originally built by Raja Rawal Jaisal and later renovated by Maharawal Gadsi Singh, giving it its present name. It historically served as Jaisalmer’s main water source through an efficient rainwater harvesting system in the desert. Encroachment, urban pressure, siltation and pollution have reduced its catchment area and damaged ecological balance. The lake supports local biodiversity and migratory birds, making it a vital urban-wetland ecosystem.

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Iran attempted cloud-seeding over the Lake Urmia basin to induce rainfall amid its worst drought in decades. Lake Urmia is located in northwestern Iran, fed by rivers including Zarīneh and Sīmīneh. The lake has lost over 90% of its original water volume due to damming, agricultural diversion, and climate stress. It is designated as a Ramsar Site and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

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Researchers found a nearly intact ancient pottery vessel near Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, dating back over 10,000 years. It is Japan’s largest freshwater lake on Honshu, about 64 kilometres long and 672 square kilometres in area. The lake looks like a biwa musical instrument and is over four million years old. It is fed by mountain rivers and drains into Osaka Bay through the Yodo River. It supports fish, pearl culture, water supply, textile industries, and was listed under the Ramsar Convention in 1993.

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Scottish historian William Dalrymple urged the Maharashtra government to promote lesser-known heritage sites at Ellora Caves. Ellora is located near a village in Maharashtra. Ellora is among India’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The caves show 700 years of Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sufi, and Naga traditions.