Ethiopia Volcano Eruption: The Unfolding Story

Discover the latest updates on the Ethiopia volcano eruption, including its impact, safety measures, and expert insights on this natural phenomenon.

🌋 Dormant Giant Awakens: Hayli Gubbi Ethiopia Volcano Eruption and Global Impact

A long-dormant volcano in Ethiopia, Hayli Gubbi, erupted over the weekend, sending massive plumes of ash high into the atmosphere and causing significant disruption to international air travel thousands of miles away.

The event is particularly notable as the volcano had been silent for an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 years, marking its first eruption in the current geological epoch, the Holocene.

Key Updates on the Ethiopia Volcano Eruption

• Location and Date: The Hayli Gubbi volcano, a shield volcano in Ethiopia’s remote Afar region, approximately 800 km northeast of Addis Ababa, erupted on Sunday, November 23, 2025.
• Volcanic Activity: The eruption was explosive, spewing thick plumes of ash and gas up to 14 kilometers (45,000 feet) into the sky. Volcanologists describe the occurrence as highly unusual, highlighting that the region, part of the geologically active Rift Valley, remains understudied.
• Local Impact: While no casualties have been reported, the nearby village of Afdera was blanketed in ash. Local administrators fear the eruption will have severe economic implications for the community of livestock herders, as ashfall has covered grazing lands.
• Cause: The volcano is situated in the East African Rift Zone, where the African and Arabian tectonic plates are slowly moving apart. Experts believe tectonic activity in this area led to the sudden awakening of the long-dormant volcano.

Ethiopia Volcano Eruption: Widespread Aviation Disruption

The most far-reaching consequence of the eruption has been the drift of the ash plume across continents, causing major disruption to global air traffic.

• Plume Trajectory: High-level winds carried the volcanic ash eastward across the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman, then across the Arabian Sea. The plume subsequently drifted over parts of the Indian subcontinent, affecting airspace over Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi-NCR, Punjab, and Haryana.
• Air Travel Impact: The presence of ash at typical cruising altitudes (15,000 to 45,000 feet) poses a significant hazard to aircraft engines and visibility. This led to:
  • Flight Cancellations and Delays: Multiple international flights operating across the affected airspace were cancelled or delayed as carriers adjusted routes.
  • Aviation Advisories: Aviation authorities, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD), issued alerts to airlines, advising them to strictly avoid ash-affected routes and conduct precautionary inspections of aircraft that flew through the area.
• Current Status (November 25, 2025): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has reported that the volcanic ash cloud is actively moving away from the Indian airspace and is expected to completely drift toward China by Tuesday evening.

Ethiopia Volcano Eruption: Minimal Risk to Surface Populations

Authorities have stressed that the high-altitude nature of the ash plume means there is minimal to no risk to the health and air quality of people on the ground in distant countries like India.

• The ash cloud remains largely confined to the upper troposphere, posing a risk primarily to aviation rather than local air quality or weather conditions.

Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers (VAACs) and meteorological agencies continue to monitor the plume’s movement to ensure the safety of air travel as the fine particles disperse and settle in the coming days.

Also, read Thanksgiving 2025: Celebrate with Joy and Gratitude

✈️ Hayli Gubbi Ethiopia Volcano Eruption: Details of Flight Disruptions in India

The volcanic ash plume from the Hayli Gubbi eruption in Ethiopia caused significant disruption to air travel across India, particularly affecting routes crossing the Arabian Sea and the Middle East. Indian aviation authorities and airlines quickly implemented contingency plans, leading to numerous cancellations and precautionary aircraft inspections.

Here are the specific details of the flight disruptions that occurred in India:

1. Airlines and Affected Routes

Major Indian and international carriers reported cancellations and delays due to the high-altitude ash cloud.

2. Aviation Regulator’s Advisory (DGCA)

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an urgent operational advisory to all Indian airlines on Monday, November 24, 2025:

• Avoidance: Strict instruction to avoid volcanic ash-affected areas and flight altitudes (flight levels) as per the latest advisories.
• Routing: Directives to adjust flight planning, routing, and fuel considerations.
• Reporting: Mandate to immediately report any suspected ash encounter, including engine performance anomalies, or cabin smoke/odour.
• Inspections: Direction to conduct post-flight engine and airframe inspections for any aircraft operating near the affected zones.
• Airport Vigilance: Airports were advised to inspect runways, taxiways, and aprons, and restrict or suspend operations if ash contamination was detected.

3. Ash Cloud Status Over India

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) provided continuous updates on the ash plume’s movement:

• Affected Regions: The ash cloud, situated high in the upper troposphere (around 10-14 km above ground), entered Indian airspace over Gujarat on Monday evening, subsequently moving across Rajasthan, Delhi-NCR, Haryana, and Punjab.
• Dispersion: The IMD projected that the ash cloud would completely move away from Indian skies and drift towards China by 7:30 PM IST on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, indicating the short-lived nature of the disruption.
• Ground Impact: The IMD stressed that due to the altitude of the plume, there was minimal to no impact on the ground-level air quality or local weather conditions in Indian cities.

The prompt action by the DGCA and airlines helped manage the risk to air travel, which is highly vulnerable to volcanic ash.