Q. Consider the following statements: - The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.
- Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.
- The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (UPSC Prelims 2018)
Answer:
1 only
Notes: The correct answer is
[A] 1 only. Barren Island holds the unique distinction of being the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia and the only one in India.
- Active Volcano in Indian Territory (Statement 1 – Correct): Barren Island is a part of the Indian Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is located in the Andaman Sea and is a confirmed active stratovolcano.
- Geographical Location (Statement 2 – Incorrect): Barren Island is located about 140 km Northeast of Port Blair (South Andaman). It does not lie east of Great Nicobar; Great Nicobar is the southernmost island of the archipelago, situated much further south (roughly 500 km away) from Barren Island.
- Eruption History (Statement 3 – Incorrect): While the volcano did erupt in 1991 after being dormant for about 150 years, it has not remained inactive since then. It erupted again in 1994–95 and has shown intermittent activity in 2005, 2017, and as recently as 2018–19. Satellite data and field observations frequently record smoke and lava flows from the crater.
Historically, the volcano lies along the boundary of the Indian and Burmese tectonic plates. The subduction of the Indian plate beneath the Burmese plate provides the geological mechanism for the volcanic activity in this region.