Lava plateaus are created by extensive fissure eruptions, which involve the quiet, effusive release of low-viscosity basaltic magma. Instead of building a tall cone, the lava flows like water, flooding vast depressions and plains. Over time, successive flows accumulate, building a massive, flat-topped plateau. The Deccan Traps in India were formed this way approximately 66 million years ago. These eruptions are often associated with mantle plumes or continental rifting. The resulting basaltic landscape is significant in geography for producing fertile black “regur” soil, which is ideal for large-scale cotton cultivation.