Earthquakes can liquefy volcanic rock into flowing rivers
Deep beneath the Turkish landscape, ancient volcanic ash contains enough trapped water to turn solid stone into a rushing slurry when triggered by a massive tremor.
In the shadow of Mount Ararat, the Durupinar site contains a geological anomaly known as zeolite tuff. This volcanic rock is composed of hydrated minerals that trap water within their molecular structure, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the stone's total mass. When a magnitude 7 earthquake strikes, the intense pressure and friction can cause this solid rock to liquefy instantly. This process creates rivers of flowing stone that can travel up to 18 kilometers, eventually cooling into dark, glassy veins that look remarkably like petrified wood planks.
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