India’s Only Active Volcano Erupts Again, Experts Link It To Indonesian Earthquake

India’s only active volcano Barren Island has begun spewing lava and ash again, Times of India has reported. Geologists believe that fresh volcanic activity is linked to the recent earthquake in Indonesia.

On 25 September, Indonesian Island of Sulawesi was hit by an earthquake of magnitude 7.5. According to officials of Geological Survey of India (GSI), the volcanic eruption was first detected on 25 September.

“There have been many cases of volcanic eruptions which were preceded by earthquakes of mild intensity. They could be linked, and the source of the trigger may be the same, as the location of Sulawesi earthquake is not very far away,” Director PSS, GSI (North East), Tapan Pal told Times of India. Further, he added that the two events could also be two separate events.

The entire region tectonically active as the Indian plate is sub-ducting below the Burma plate and Indonesian Plate is sub-ducting below the Australian plate. Oceanic crusts melt and comes to the surface as a volcano due to subduction. The previous volcano recorded near Barren Island was during February 2016.