The Deccan Traps were formed nearly 66 million years ago by fissure eruptions, where highly fluid basaltic lava flowed out of long cracks in the Earth’s crust. This “flood basalt” covered over 500,000 square kilometers, creating a stepped (trap) landscape. This process formed the massive lava plateau that dominates Peninsular India today. ANSWER: (B) Fissure eruptions of basaltic lava.
The ‘Deccan Traps’ of India were formed by: (A) Explosive volcanic eruptions. (B) Fissure eruptions of basaltic lava. (C) Folding of the sea floor. (D) Glacial retreat.
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The Deccan Traps represent one of the largest volcanic features on Earth. Unlike explosive volcanoes that form cones, these were “quiet” fissure eruptions associated with the Reunion hotspot. The low-viscosity basaltic lava spread over vast distances, cooling into thick horizontal layers. Over eons, erosion carved these layers into the “step-like” topography (the word ‘Trap’ comes from the Swedish word for steps). Geographically, this region is essential as the weathering of this basaltic rock has produced the fertile Black Soil (Regur), which is ideal for cotton cultivation in India.