We are standing on a beach rather unique to these islands. How this sand was created is a remarkable story, and quite different from what we left back home. Most beach sand of continents is quartz and feldspar rich, formed by the degradation of ancient rocks like granite and quartzite. The beach sand here in the Maldives is white, powdery and vastly different from what's found on continents. So how did this island beach come to be? Until 88 million years ago, the eastern margin of Madagascar was melded to India's west coast. An abrupt volcanic event tore Madagascar from India and broke off a small triangular piece from its north to create what we now know as Seychelles.
About 20 million years ago, when India drifted 900km away from Madagascar, another volcanic event was triggered under the sea. This created Reunion Island, which is now roughly 3,300km south-south-west from the Maldives as the albatross flies. This event marked the first of three episodes of what geologists label the "Deccan volcanic event", which created Mumbai and Pune with its dramatic layered-cake plateaus.
The volcanoes under the sea pushed the Indian plate further east. When India reached the spot where Chagos Islands (a corrupted version of the Portuguese word for chaos) are today, it tripped on another weak spot in the crust under the ocean, causing more lava to flow into the ocean.
The roiling lava cooled in the presence of water and formed funnel-shaped structures that emerged from the sea. Each of these dark grey basalt cone-like structures spewed smoke and gas, and often lava. As India migrated northwards, volcanoes popped up and created a near-straight underwater ridge. This ridge, the 73 East Ridge, about 1,200km south of the Maldives, starts with Chagos Islands and ends with the Lakshadweep Islands (about 900km north of the Maldives).
Denne historien er fra February 24, 2024-utgaven av Mint Mumbai.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 24, 2024-utgaven av Mint Mumbai.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Air fares in Sep quarter rise, Q3 may be worse
Multiple public holidays have sparked demand for short trips to domestic destinations, said Indiver Rastogi, president & group head of global business travel at Thomas Cook (India) and SOTC Travel. This year, Independence Day, Janmashtami, Onam, Eid and Ganesh Chat-
Yes, the world is hotter than it has been in 2,000 years or so
A scientific study of tree rings confirms global warming is for real
As a non-resident, is there a tax liability on exiting Indian MFs?
I have been investing in mutual funds for the past four years. Last year, I moved to Dubai and am currently a non-resident Indian NRD). Say, if] exit all my mutual fund investments now, would I have zero tax liability? —Name withheld on request.
Mergers off but PSB privatization still on
T 'he Centre doesn't have any plan to merge public sector banks (PSBS) in FY25, though it will not ditch plans to privatize PSBs during the fiscal, two people aware of the matter said.
Think Tesla Is In Trouble? Pity Even More Its Wannabe EV Rivals
The combined market value of six prominent wannabes hit 400bn in 2021, but today they are worth 65bn
Has The Growth Of Our Economy Translated Into Domestic Jobs?
While the covid shock and other setbacks got in the way, data indicates that employment in India is on a firm recovery path
Financial Sector Reforms Plan To Be Unveiled Post Elections
The govt will cut its stake in five PSBs this fiscal to comply with Sebi’s listing guidelines
Generative AI Is Not Ubiquitous In The Business World-Not Yet
While some AI tools racked up users, some firms are proceeding with caution, or not at all
Wipro’s CEO switch was not about its share price
Shareholder value data does not explain the firm's change on top. In a flux-filled field like infotech, business performance counts for more and Wipro's challenge still seems quite steep
How not to blow a major chunk of your travel budget on visas
Rejection of visas can impact your travel costs, especially when you have to cancel flight and hotel bookings