Ethiopia's Long-Dormant Hayli Gubbi Erupts as Ash Cloud Disrupts India Flights

Overview

• The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia erupted on November 23 for the first time in roughly 12,000 years, according to the Smithsonian’s Global Volcanism Program.
• Toulouse VAAC reported ash columns reaching about 14 kilometers high, with the plume tracked across the Red Sea toward Yemen, Oman, India and northern Pakistan.
• India’s aviation regulator advised carriers to avoid affected routes as about 10 international flights were canceled, delays mounted in Delhi, and Air India and Akasa Air suspended operations on the guidance.
• Ashfall was reported over parts of India including Gujarat, Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana, with meteorologists saying the particles were moving east and expected to exit Indian airspace Tuesday night.
• Afar officials said villages near the volcano were blanketed in ash, threatening grazing lands for pastoralists, and reported no human or livestock fatalities while monitoring and assessments continue.