A long-slumbering giant in Ethiopia has awoken, as the Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted for the first time in approximately 10,000 years. The sudden explosion sent a colossal plume of volcanic ash high into the atmosphere, triggering immediate concerns for global air travel.
Eruption Details and Immediate Aftermath
The monumental event occurred at around 8.30am UTC on Sunday, according to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC). The agency reported that the eruption produced an enormous column of ash that rose between 9 and 14 kilometres into the sky.
This vast ash cloud initially drifted over neighbouring Yemen and Oman. By the latest updates, the VAAC confirmed the plume is now moving over northern India, creating a visible strip of severe ash concentration that stretched from Ethiopia all the way to northern Myanmar and into China, as illustrated by Flightradar24.com.
Impact on Global Aviation
The eruption's consequences for air travel were swift. The VAAC has explicitly advised pilots to avoid flying through the hazardous ash cloud.
In response, several airlines, including a number operating from Mumbai Airport in India, have warned passengers to expect potential delays and disruptions to both domestic and international services. A spokesman for Heathrow Airport stated that while its flights do not currently appear affected, the situation is being closely monitored.
A Historic Geological Event
Witnessed by thousands of Ethiopians, the awakening of Hayli Gubbi is being hailed as one of the most extraordinary volcanic events in the region's recorded history. The volcano is situated in a geologically active area, specifically the Afar Rift in Ethiopia's Danakil Depression—one of the hottest and most isolated places on Earth.
While volcanic activity continued throughout the day following the initial eruption, it has since stopped. The Hayli Gubbi volcano, which rises about 500 metres in altitude, sits southeast of the persistently active Erta Ale volcanic chain.
