20,000 ft (6 km) ash plume reported over Barren Island volcano: aviation code red
February 17, 2013 – ANDAMAN ISLANDS – A new eruption seems to have started. An ash plume rising to 20,000 ft (6 km) altitude and drifting 120 nautical miles to the SW was reported last night by VAAC Darwin. The aviation color code was raised to RED.
This volcanic island stands in the midst of a volcanic belt on the edge of the Indian and Burmese tectonic plates. Barren Island is located in the Andaman Sea, one of the most easterly of the Andaman Islands. It is the only confirmed active volcano in South Asia. Along with the rest of the Andamans, it is a part of the Indian Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and lies about 135 km (84 mi) northeast of the territory’s capital, Port Blair.
The first recorded eruption of the volcano dates back to 1787. Since then, the volcano has erupted more than ten times, with the most recent one which started in September 2010 and continued through January 2011. –Volcano Discovery, Wikipedia
