Palau—the jewel of Micronesia
As with many islands in the Pacific,its volcanic speaks still linger on
Beyond their shores are other familiar scenes
Barrier reefs
And small coral atolls
But here,there’s something different
The reefs of Palau have risen from the deep
not slowly,likely Kingman,
But suddenly,35 million years ago,powerful earthquakes forced them high above the waves
And Palau’s rock islands were created
Some are up to 200 metres tall
Exposed cliffs now reveal their rock’s true origins
It’s limestone,created by crushed coral and ancient shells
Since those earthquakes,there’s been another big change here