New Islands Formed in the Past 20 Years

Zalzala Koh

A devastating magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck Pakistan's Baluchistan province on Sept. 24, 2013, leaving hundreds of people dead and tens of thousands homeless. It also gave birth to a small round island off the coast near the port city of Gwadar. According to researchers, the island is a mud volcano, formed by a methane gas emission that pushed up part of the muddy, rocky sea floor. Referred to locally as either Zalzala Koh ("Earthquake Mountain") or Zalzala Jazeera ("Earthquake Island"), the small land mass is expected to disappear quickly once the gas below cools and erosion from waves and tidal action take their toll.