• Earthquake of 7.0 magnitude hits Indonesia

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    Earthquake of 7.0 magnitude hits Indonesia

    A powerful earthquake recording 7.0 on the Richter Scale rocked 96 kilometres north of Tuban, Indonesia, on Friday...


    Digital Desk: A powerful earthquake recording 7.0 on the Richter Scale rocked 96 kilometres north of Tuban, Indonesia, on Friday. 


    The epicentre of the tremor, which hit the region at 09:55:45 GMT, initially occurred at 6.0255 degrees south latitude and 112.0332 degrees east longitude, according to Xinhua News Agency.


    Due to its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region with significant seismic activity, Indonesia is at risk for earthquakes and has already been hit by several of them.


    The Pacific Ring of Fire is a horseshoe-shaped zone that surrounds the Pacific Ocean, running from the west coast of South America up to Alaska, then down through Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia, and finally along the western coasts of North and South America.


    The location of Indonesia along the boundary of two tectonic plates, the Australian Plate and the Eurasian Plate is the cause of its frequent earthquakes. These two plates are constantly shifting, with the Australian Plate moving northward and downward under the Eurasian Plate. As a result, friction between the two plates increases, resulting in the release of energy in the type of earthquakes.


    Moreover, Indonesia has a high number of active volcanoes, which adds to the activity of earthquakes in the region. When a volcano erupts, magma and gases under the Earth's surface can generate earthquakes. 


    Overall, Indonesia is prone to earthquakes due to the combination of tectonic and volcanic activity.