VOLCANIC ASH FROM ETHIOPIA DISRUPTS INDIA FLIGHTS

Rare eruption pushes plume across region; impact limited to upper troposphere

- BY ALEX ABRAHAM Senior Associate Editor

A massive plume of volcanic ash from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano — dormant for nearly 10,000 to 12,000 years — has swept across the Red Sea, passed over Oman and Yemen, and reached northern India, triggering widespread disruptions in aviation but leaving local weather and air quality largely unaffected, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The rare eruption began early Sunday morning when the long-inactive volcano in northern Ethiopia suddenly roared to life, sending a towering ash column up to 14 kilometres into the atmosphere. Scientists say this is the first recorded eruption in the volcano’s history, making the event particularly significant for volcanologists worldwide.

Ash plume travels thousands of kilometres

Satellite imagery from ESA’s Sentinel-2 mission and updates from the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre show the ash cloud drifting rapidly across thousands of kilometres, carried by strong upper-level winds. The plume crossed the Red Sea within hours, moved over parts of Yemen and Oman, and began entering Indian airspace late Monday night.

Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the IMD, said the ash was being observed only in the upper troposphere — between 8.5km and 15km altitude — a band commonly used by long-haul flights.

“The impact of this volcanic ash is being seen only in the upper troposphere, and it is affecting flight operations. It has no impact on air quality or weather, and our estimate is that this volcanic ash will completely move towards China by evening,” Mohapatra said.