News In Shorts

Researchers found evidence that Taam Ja' Blue Hole is the deepest in the world.

• It is located in Mexico's Chetumal Bay, on the eastern side of the Yucatán Peninsula.

About Blue hole

• These are water-filled caverns that form below the seafloor. These are often found in coastal areas where the bedrock is prone to erosion.
• They develop as ocean water seeps through cracks, dissolving minerals as they go, leading to sinkholes. Over time, they can grow quite large.
• Other Prominent Blue Holes:  Dragon Hole in the South China Sea, the Great Blue Hole near Belize, and the Dahab Blue Hole (Egypt).

Catatumbo lightning is a natural phenomenon that occurs at the mouth of the Catatumbo River, where it meets Lake Maracaibo. 

• The lightning strikes almost continuously up to 300 days a year.
• The area is called the lightning capital of the world.

Factor responsible for high frequency of lightning:

• The convergence of cool air from the Andes and moist air from the Caribbean generates a constant cycle of convection. 
• As the warm air rises, it cools and condenses, leading to the formation of Cumulonimbus clouds which in turn, create an environment for electrical activity.

• Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela is the largest lake in Latin America.