2021 · GS Paper 1 · Q7 · 10 marks
Mention the global occurrence of volcanic eruptions in 2021 and their impact on regional environment.
In short
Volcanoes erupted across all tectonic settings in 2021, from the Ring of Fire (Taal, Semeru) to rifts (Fagradalsfjall, Nyiragongo) and hotspots (La Palma, Kilauea), with mainly regional effects. La Palma's 85-day eruption buried over 1,000 hectares, while Nyiragongo forced a mass evacuation of Goma.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 294 words
Pacific Ring of Fire
Subduction volcanoes such as Taal, Semeru, whose December flows killed over 50 people, and Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai stayed the most active.
Rifts and spreading ridges
Fagradalsfjall on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge gave the Reykjanes Peninsula its first eruption in about 800 years, and Nyiragongo in the East African Rift.
Hotspots and other arcs
Cumbre Vieja on La Palma erupted for 85 days, Kilauea resumed, and La Soufriere and Etna erupted explosively.
Land and settlements
La Palma's lava buried over 1,000 hectares of homes and plantations, and Nyiragongo's flows forced a mass evacuation of Goma.
Air and water
Sulphur dioxide caused vog and acid rain around Taal, and La Soufriere's ash fouled crops and water in St Vincent and Barbados.
Coasts and lakes
La Palma built a new lava delta, Fukutoku-Okanoba's pumice rafts hurt Okinawa's fisheries, and Nyiragongo raised fears over Lake Kivu's gases.
Renewal and limits
Ash enriches soils over time, but 2021's eruptions were too small to cool the global climate, unlike Pinatubo in 1991.
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Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2021 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.