The Pacific Ring of Fire

We all know of this fault line that runs through most of Indonesia and that has caused numerous earthquakes resulting in disaster and loss of life. But what actually is the Ring of Fire and where actually does it start from and end.

I read this fabulous fact article in the Antara News yesterday and it pretty well much covers all the questions you might have regarding this volatile fault line:

Clouds of ash and smoke sent panic through villagers living around Mount Mayon, a volcano in the central Philippines, while on the other side of the Pacific's Ring of Fire, Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano spewed gas and ash for the fourth day.

Here are some key facts about the Ring of Fire:

WHAT IS IT?

The Ring of Fire is a band of volcanoes and fault lines circling the edges of the Pacific Ocean.

It is horseshoe shaped and 40,000 kms long.

It runs from Chile, northwards along the South American coast through Central America, Mexico, the west coast of the U.S. and the southern part of Alaska, through the Aleutian Islands to Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia before curving back to New Guinea, the southwest Pacific islands and New Zealand.

Its seismic activity results from collisions between tectonic plates.

KEY FIGURES:

Of the world's 1,500 active volcanos almost 90 percent are in the Ring of Fire.

Ninety percent of the world's earthquakes and 81 percent of the world's largest earthquakes occur within it.

RECENT ACTIVITY:

May 27, 2006 INDONESIA: A 6.3 magnitude earthquake hits Yogyakarta in Java killing at least 5,700 people.

June 10, PHILIPPINES: Bulusan volcano explodes sending ash and steam 1,000 metres into the air and showering surrounding villages.

June 12, JAPAN: Vulcanologists warn of more eruptions at Mount Sakurajima, on Kyushu island southwest of Tokyo after it spews volcanic gases.

July 17, INDONESIA: Over 550 people are killed in Java after an undersea earthquake creates a tsunami.

July 17, ECUADOR: Tungurahua volcano about 80 miles south of Quito rains molten rock and covers villages in ash months after it became active in May.

July 18, PHILIPPINES: Authorities order 4,000 people to evacuate after Mount Mayon begins erupting on July 14.

July 19, INDONESIA: Office workers in the capital Jakarta flee after a 6.0 magnitude tremor causes tall buildings to sway.

FAMOUS RING OF FIRE ERUPTIONS:

August 26/27, 1883: Krakatoa, an island volcano in the Indian Ocean erupts. It kills nearly 40,000 people as tsunami waves crash into Java and Sumatra and are felt as far away as England.

May 18, 1980: Mount St. Helens in southwest Washington state erupts killing 57. The eruption was triggered by a 5.1 magnitude earthquake.

June 9, 1991: Mount Pinatubo, 80 km north of Manila, erupts. It kills over 700 and destroys 200,000 buildings in one of the 20th century's 3 largest eruptions.

Sources: Reuters, USGS, National Geographic, BBC.