Source: TP
Context: India’s only active volcano at Barren Island, Andaman Sea, witnessed two mild eruptions on 13 and 20 September 2025.
About Barren Island Volcano:
What it is?
- India’s only active volcano and South Asia’s only confirmed active volcanic site.
- An uninhabited island with rugged volcanic cones, ash deposits, and sparse vegetation.
Located in:
- Situated in the Andaman Sea, about 138 km northeast of Port Blair.
- Part of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, within the Indian Union Territory.
Origin:
- Belongs to a volcanic belt formed at the convergent boundary of the Indian and Burmese tectonic plates.
- Geological history: Oldest lava flows are ~1.6 million years old, formed on an oceanic crust ~106 million years old.
Features:
- Size: Island spans ~3 sq km, rises 354 m above sea level.
- Structure: Contains a 2 km wide caldera formed by collapse of an earlier volcanic cone.
- Eruption record: First in 1787, followed by multiple episodes (1991, 2005–07, 2017, 2022, 2025).
- Activity type: Low Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI 2), mild lava flows and ash clouds.
- Ecology: Harsh terrain; past eruptions reduced local bird and fauna diversity.
Significance:
- Geological importance – Only active subaerial volcano between Sumatra and Myanmar.
- Scientific research – Helps study plate tectonics, volcanology, and oceanic crust evolution.
- Strategic location – Enhances India’s maritime significance in the Andaman Sea.
