Saturday, June 4 2005 12:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Port Blair: The Barren Island volcano, active since May 28 after lying dormant for 11 years, is emitting a greater quantity of smoke after heavy rain led to decrease in the flames, though lava was still flowing out of the crater, Coast Guard sources said yesterday (Jun 3, 2005).

Andamans Governor Ram Kapse, who made an aerial survey of the uninhabited Barren Island, 140 km north-west of Port Blair, yesterday morning, told sources that he had seen smoke and lava emerging from the crater.

The Island's administration as well as the Coast Guard were keeping a watch on the situation, he said.

Coast Guard PRO Commandant Sanjay Anchalwar said that due to the heavy rain the flames had subsided a little, but the volume of smoke had increased and lava was still flowing out.

The last eruption of the volcano took place in 1994 on the Island, which is less than two kilometre across.

It is completely uninhabited save some feral goats, which stayed on the other side where there was some vegetation and natural sources of water.

However, there was no report about these goats as of now.

The Island is out of bounds with Defence personnel solely allowed access.