A volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region erupted for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, sending a vast ash plume across major aviation routes and prompting airlines in India and the Middle East to cancel or reroute flights.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located near the Eritrean border, erupted on Sunday for several hours, pushing ash up to 14km into the atmosphere. Satellite tracking by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre and the India Meteorological Department showed thick plumes drifting over Yemen and Oman before spreading across Pakistan and northern India on Monday and Tuesday.
Local authorities said no casualties were reported, but villages closest to the eruption were covered in ash. Mohammed Seid, an Afar regional official, said residents and livestock escaped harm, though ashfall left “many villages covered… and their animals have little to eat.”
Residents described hearing loud blasts followed by shockwaves. Ahmed Abdela, from Afar, said it “felt like a sudden bomb had been thrown,” with ash blanketing houses and affecting travellers moving towards the Danakil desert.
The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program notes no known Holocene-era eruptions from Hayli Gubbi, a finding echoed by Michigan Technological University volcanologist Simon Carn, who said the volcano has “no record of Holocene eruptions.”
The ash cloud caused significant air travel disruption in western and northern India. Air India cancelled 11 flights on Monday and Tuesday for precautionary aircraft checks, following a directive from the aviation regulator. Akasa Air cancelled flights to Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi, while IndiGo diverted its Kannur–Abu Dhabi service to Ahmedabad. KLM also called off an Amsterdam–Delhi flight due to ash-related risks.
Airports in Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur and parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan issued advisories warning passengers of possible delays and cancellations. Mumbai airport said international routes may be affected and urged passengers to monitor schedules.
India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation directed carriers to avoid affected altitudes, follow real-time advisories and check runways for ash contamination. Airlines said they were prioritising safety while assessing operational impacts.
The ash plume reached northern India at a time of already severe air pollution, raising public concern about further deterioration. Meteorologists, however, said the ash was unlikely to worsen air quality. Officials said the plume had begun drifting east towards China and was expected to clear Indian airspace by 7:30pm on Tuesday.
The Afar region lies within the seismically active Rift Valley, where tectonic plates are gradually pulling apart. The eruption site is near Erta Ale, one of Africa’s most active volcanoes, roughly 15km away.
