Top 5 Captivating Facts About Earthquakes

On the morning of September 24, 2013, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck southwest of Balochistan, Pakistan. This was followed shortly by the appearance of a new island 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) off the coast of the city of Gwadar. The island, which was given the name Zalzala Jazeera (“The Quake Island”), is thought to be a mud volcano.

Despite the significant local and international attention it received, the island’s appearance wasn’t a surprise to some. Older residents of the coastal town recalled seeing an island that appeared in the same spot after a quake that shocked the coast in 1968.

Measuring 18 meters (60 ft) in height and over 175 meters (576 ft) in length, Zalzala Jazeera has become a popular tourist attraction in the region.