A long-dormant volcano in northern Ethiopia has erupted for the first time in approximately 12,000 years, spewing vast plumes of volcanic ash that have spread across continents and caused significant flight cancellations as far away as India.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano, part of the Erta Ale range in the remote Afar region, erupted on Sunday, catching scientists and local residents by surprise. According to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, the volcano had been inactive throughout the entire Holocene era, which began at the end of the last Ice Age.
Local Impact: Darkness, Livestock at Risk, and Economic Worries
The eruption has profoundly affected nearby communities. Residents reported hearing a loud, bomb-like sound, followed by dark smoke and ash that blotted out the sun, creating near-total darkness. While no casualties have been reported, a thick layer of ash now blankets villages, threatening the livelihood of local livestock herders.
"Their animals have little to eat," said local
administrator Mohammed Seid, explaining that the ash has covered the forage
plants essential for their survival. The eruption has also stranded tourists
and guides in the popular Danakil Desert area, and vibrations from the event
were felt as far away as Djibouti.
Global Reach: Ash Cloud Triggers International Flight Chaos
The eruption's most far-reaching effect has been on air travel. The Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre reported the initial ash plume rose to an astonishing 14.5 kilometers (over 47,000 feet). This cloud has since travelled thousands of miles, crossing the Red Sea and moving over Yemen, Oman, and Pakistan before reaching India.
The abrasive particles in volcanic ash pose a severe risk to aircraft engines, leading to widespread precautionary cancellations:
In India, airlines including Air India, IndiGo, and Akasa cancelled flights to destinations like Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi. The country's aviation authority issued advisories and ordered runway inspections.
Pakistan and Oman are also monitoring the cloud, though disruptions have been less severe there.
This event marks the most significant volcanic disruption to
air travel since the 2010 eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull, which led to
a six-day shutdown of European airspace.
A Geologically Significant Region
The eruption highlights the dynamic nature of the Ethiopian
Rift Valley, a site of major tectonic activity where the African and Arabian
plates are pulling apart. Ethiopia is home to 50 known volcanoes, several of
which are dormant. The Erta Ale volcano, located in the same range as Hayli
Gubbi, is one of the country's most active, last overflowing with lava in early
2023.