This photo shared by the European Space Agency (ESA) shows the Ram Setu, a former land bridge connecting India and Sri Lanka. (Image: ESA)
Ram Setu, otherwise known as Adam’s Bridge, is a chain of tusks that stretch 48 kilometers and at one point in time connected the island of Rameswaram in India to the island of Mannar in Sri Lanka.
The European Space Agency (ESA) released a photo of Ram Setu, also known as Adam’s Bridge, located between India and Sri Lanka. The photos were captured by ESA’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite.
Adam’s Bridge is a chain of coasts connecting India and Sri Lanka and stretches for almost 48 kilometers from Rameswaram Island, off the southeast coast of India, to Mannar Island in Sri Lanka.
The chain of shoals also separates the Gulf of Mannar from the Palk Strait. The Gulf of Mannar is an inlet of the Indian Ocean in the south while the Palk Strait is an inlet of the Bay of Bengal in the north.
There are many theories about how this bridge was formed, but geological evidence shows that these limestone pits are the remains of a land mass that once connected India and Sri Lanka.
According to historical records, this natural bridge could be crossed until the 15th century. After that, it slowly eroded due to storms, the ESA said. The space agency also said that some sandbanks in Ram Setu are dry and the sea in this area is very shallow, with depths ranging from 1 to 10 meters, as indicated by the light color of the water.
Mannar Island, which is about 130 square kilometers in size, is connected to mainland Sri Lanka by a road bridge and a railway bridge. These bridges can be seen at the southern end of the island.
On the Indian side, there is Rameswaram Island, also called Pamban Island. To reach this island from the Indian side, one has to cross the 2 kilometer long Pamban Bridge. This bridge connects the two lands and enables the passage of people and goods.
Rameswaram Island, also known as Pamban Island, contains two main towns: Pamban, located at the western end, and Rameswaram, located approximately 10 kilometers east of Pamban.
Both sections of Adam’s Bridge are included in protected national parks in India and Sri Lanka. The sand dunes in these parks provide essential breeding grounds for bird species such as
The shallow waters around Adam’s Bridge support a diverse array of marine life, including various species of fish and seaweed.
The rich marine life in this area also includes dolphins, dugongs and turtles.
#European #Space #Agency #captures #stunning #photo #Ram #Setu #space #News18
Image Source : www.news18.com