💥India’s only mud volcano at Baratang island (A&N islands) got erupted after 20 years.

[ Topic : Geography ]

👉On October 2, 2025, the mud volcano at Jarwa Creek, Baratang Island (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) erupted violently after being dormant for more than 20 years.
•It was accompanied by a “deafening sound” like an explosion.
•An earth mound of about 3-4 metres high was formed. Mud, water, gases, and smoke spread over an area of more than 1,000 square metres.

👉Geological Context & Causes :
•Baratang Island contains India’s only known mud volcanoes.
•These volcanoes are different from magmatic (lava) volcanoes: they erupt mud, water, and gases (often methane, hydrogen sulfide), rather than molten rock.
•The eruption is thought to have been triggered by tectonic movement – the Andaman & Nicobar region lies in a seismic/tectonic zone, so underground movement (shifting plates, pressure changes) can disturb sediment layers and release gas/mud.

👉Significance :
•This is the first major eruption in about 20 years (last such big eruption ~2005) at this site.
•It highlights how even long-dormant geological features can become active again due to underlying earth processes.
•For both science and tourism: Baratang’s mud volcano is a draw for visitors; this event may lead to more geological studies to understand seismic risks, gas release, sediment behaviour, etc.
•Environmental/Health implications may arise from gas emissions (e.g. methane, hydrogen sulfide) and ground instability; monitoring will be important.

#upsc #Geography #volcanoes #mudvolcano