WEB DESK: The Hayli Gubbi volcano, situated in Ethiopia’s Afar region, erupted on Sunday, emitting a towering ash column that rose approximately 45,000 feet into the atmosphere. According to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC), the ash plume extended around 14 kilometers above ground.
Strong winds carried the ash westward and subsequently north across the Red Sea. By early Monday, parts of Yemen reported volcanic ash deposition, with the VAAC later monitoring the cloud’s progression toward Oman, India, and Pakistan.
This eruption is the first documented activity from Hayli Gubbi in about 12,000 years. The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program notes no record of eruptions during the Holocene epoch, which began roughly 12,000 years ago. Similarly, volcanologist Simon Carn of Michigan Technological University mentioned via Bluesky that no confirmed volcanic activity has been observed from Hayli Gubbi within this timeframe.
The volcano is positioned in the Afar region, roughly 500 miles northeast of Addis Ababa, near the Eritrean border, in an area shaped by the East African Rift where tectonic plates are diverging. Standing at an elevation of approximately 500 meters, reports indicate the eruption persisted for several hours.
Aviation authorities have closely monitored the event due to the significant height and expansive spread of the ash cloud. Air-traffic controllers across nations surrounding the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden issued warnings to pilots about potential risks. Airports in Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Yemen adjusted flight routes, with several airlines rerouting planes to avoid affected areas.
Volcanic ash presents considerable hazards to aircraft, including engine damage, reduced visibility, and interference with onboard instruments. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) stated it is keeping track of updates from VAAC and regional authorities. To date, no major incidents related to the ash cloud have been reported.
Ethiopian authorities in the Afar region have yet to release information regarding possible casualties, injuries, or property damage stemming from the eruption.
