(Image source from: News24online.com)
A volcano in northern Ethiopia erupted for the first time in almost 12,000 years on Sunday. Winds blowing at a speed of 100-120 km/h carried ash clouds to several countries, including India. The Hayli Gubbi volcano in the Afar region erupted on Sunday morning, and ash from the eruption reached Delhi late last night, where the air is already polluted, causing disruptions to flights. The ash clouds rose thousands of feet in the air, first reaching Gujarat and then moving towards Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced that the ash clouds are heading toward China and should leave Indian skies by 7:30 pm. The IMD added that strong winds carried the ash from Ethiopia over the Red Sea to Yemen and Oman, and then across the Arabian Sea to western and northern India.
India's aviation authority issued a warning, advising airlines to avoid areas and altitudes affected by volcanic ash and to change flight plans, routes, and fuel strategies based on the current information. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) requested airlines to quickly report any possible ash encounters, including any issues with engine performance or signs of smoke or strange smells in the cabin. Airlines such as Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet experienced the impact. Air India reported cancelling eleven flights as they conducted "precautionary checks" on planes that flew over certain areas after the Hayli Gubbi eruption. Canceled flights included routes from Newark to Delhi, New York to Delhi, Dubai to Hyderabad, Doha to Mumbai, Dubai to Chennai, Dammam to Mumbai, Doha to Delhi, Chennai to Mumbai, and Hyderabad to Delhi.
"We deeply apologize for the trouble this unexpected event has caused our passengers. Keeping our passengers and crew safe is our top concern," said the airline on X. IndiGo mentioned that it is "fully prepared" with all the needed precautions to maintain safe and reliable operations. "With the recent eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia, ash clouds are on their way to parts of western India. We know this information may be worrisome, and we want to emphasize that your safety is our primary focus. Our teams are diligently monitoring the situation in collaboration with international aviation agencies. We are entirely ready with all necessary precautions to ensure safe and dependable operations," IndiGo stated on X.
A weather specialist mentioned that the ash cloud mainly contains sulfur dioxide along with some volcanic ash in smaller amounts. "This will not change AQI (air quality index) levels, but it will affect SO2 levels in the hills of Nepal, the Himalayas, and the neighboring Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, as some of the ash will hit the hills and then drift into China," the specialist posted on X. The Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted in the Afar area of Ethiopia, releasing dense smoke clouds reaching up to 14 kilometers into the atmosphere and covering several villages in ash. The volcano, which towers about 500 meters high, is located in the Rift Valley, an area known for significant geological activity where two tectonic plates collide. The Afar region frequently experiences earthquakes, and one local reported hearing a loud noise and likened it to a shock wave.
"It sounded like a sudden explosion followed by smoke and ash," a local shared with news agency AP. The Global Volcanism Program from the Smithsonian Institution stated that Hayli Gubbi has not erupted during the Holocene period, which started around 12,000 years ago after the last Ice Age.
