First Eruption in Millennia: Hayli Gubbi’s Ash Disrupts Flights from Africa to South Asia

A volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region, long considered inactive, erupted suddenly on Sunday, marking the first known activity from the Hayli Gubbi volcano in nearly 10,000 years. Satellite observations captured the moment the eruption sent towering ash clouds into the atmosphere, rising to an estimated 45,000 feet. The plume spread rapidly, crossing the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman before moving over the Arabian Sea and reaching several regions of India.

Key Facts About the Eruption in Ethiopia Yesterday:

???? Volcano: The eruption happened at Hayli Gubbi, a shield volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar Region.

???? Timing: It erupted on 23 November 2025, around 08:30 UTC.

???? Dormancy: This is the first confirmed eruption in more than 12,000… pic.twitter.com/2nz8i2DQRC

— Volcaholic ???? (@volcaholic1) November 24, 2025

Scientists noted that Hayli Gubbi had remained quiet throughout the entire Holocene period, leaving no historical records of previous eruptions. Fresh images from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 mission, along with monitoring by the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center, traced the ash as it traveled across vast distances in a short timeframe.

The ash cloud drifted over multiple Indian states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Maharashtra. It continued toward the Himalayan belt, Nepal’s hill regions and Terai, before being carried further east. According to the India Meteorological Department, strong upper-level winds transported the plume from Ethiopia across the Arabian Peninsula and into South Asia, with forecasts indicating the clouds will clear Indian skies by Tuesday evening and continue eastward in the direction of China.

The eruption also caused widespread disruption in air travel. Numerous flights across India were cancelled or diverted as aviation authorities monitored satellite updates and coordinated with global volcanic ash centers. Despite the broad reach of the plume, only minimal ashfall was recorded on the ground in India. However, the cloud contained sulphur dioxide and fine particles that raised concerns about air quality in several areas. Meteorological observers noted that the plume moving inland carried mostly sulphur dioxide with small to moderate traces of volcanic ash. While the cloud is unlikely to significantly worsen conditions at ground level in India, some impact is possible over Nepal’s highlands, the Himalayan region, and parts of the Terai.

Local communities in Ethiopia experienced the immediate effects. Villages near the volcano were blanketed in dust, and farmers reported fresh difficulties as grazing land for livestock became covered in ash. Officials confirmed that no casualties had been reported, but the fallout presents a serious challenge to pastoral households. Residents described the moment of the eruption as an explosive event, comparing the blast to a sudden detonation followed by dense smoke and ash rising above the landscape. NASA imagery also captured the scale of the event, showing large ash plumes spreading across the Red Sea.

The volcanic clouds extended as far as Pakistan, where meteorological authorities issued advisories once the ash reached national airspace on Monday. In India, Air India cancelled several domestic and international flights to conduct precautionary inspections on aircraft that had recently crossed affected air corridors. Delhi, already facing heavy air pollution, is not expected to face significant additional impact as most of the volcanic ash remains at high altitude.

Hayli Gubbi lies about 800 kilometers northeast of Addis Ababa and forms the southern tip of the Erta Ale volcanic range in the Afar region. The volcano stands roughly 500 meters high within an area of major geological activity shaped by the divergence of tectonic plates.