Zalzala Koh

Zalzala Koh

Zalzala Koh, also known as Zalzala Jazeera, was a small island that appeared off the coast of Gwadar in Pakistan on September 24, 2013. It showed up just hours after a powerful earthquake in the same area. The island was called "Earthquake Mountain" in Urdu because it formed due to the earthquake.

Scientists thought the new island would not stay for long. As they predicted, the island began to sink back into the sea. Satellite images showed that just one month after it appeared, the island had sunk about 3 meters, or 10 feet, below the water's surface. By the end of 2016, the island had completely disappeared.

Formation

Zalzala Koh may have been a mud volcano in the Arabian Sea near the city of Gwadar in Balochistan, Pakistan. It appeared after a big earthquake on September 24, 2013. Scientists think gas from the sea floor made the island rise above the water.

Location

The island could be seen from the coast of Pakistan. It was about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the shore near the Hingol area. The island stood between 15 to 20 metres (50 to 65 ft) tall. It stretched 175.7 metres (576 ft) long and was 160.9 metres (528 ft) wide. Some people disagreed about these measurements.

Ecology

The island did not have plants or animals, but the water nearby had lots of fish and sea life. There was a special kind of coral called Acabaria delicata. The extra fish helped people living close to the island because they could catch more fish to eat.