DST News: A volcano in Ethiopia that has been silent for millennia burst back to life on Sunday, throwing towering columns of ash into the atmosphere and disrupting daily life at home—and even flight schedules thousands of miles away.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in the Afar region of northeastern Ethiopia, erupted for the first recorded time in around 10,000 years. The sudden activity blanketed nearby villages in ash and caused significant worry among farmers and pastoral communities who depend on the region’s fragile grazing lands.
Local administrator Mohammed Seid told the Associated Press that although no injuries or deaths had been reported, the ashfall poses a serious threat to livestock herders, whose animals rely on the now-dusted vegetation.
Residents said the eruption came with a violent, frightening sound.
“It felt like a bomb exploding—then everything was filled with smoke and ash,” said Ahmed Abdela, who lives near the volcano.
The dramatic plume was clearly visible from space. Satellite images released by NASA show thick, swirling ash rising over the volcano and drifting westward across the Red Sea.
According to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center, ash clouds traveled over Yemen and Oman before moving farther east toward Pakistan and India.
Pakistan’s Meteorological Department issued an advisory late Monday after the ash entered its airspace.
In India, national carrier Air India temporarily canceled several domestic and international flights, saying it needed to run precautionary inspections on aircraft that had recently passed through affected air routes. India’s Meteorological Department noted that Delhi—already battling hazardous pollution—was unlikely to see a major impact because the ash is spreading at high altitude.
Hayli Gubbi lies roughly 800 kilometers (about 500 miles) northeast of Addis Ababa and forms the southern end of the Erta Ale volcanic range. The region is one of the most seismically active areas on the planet, sitting directly on top of the rift where two tectonic plates diverge.
The latest forecasts from India’s meteorological authorities suggest the ash plume will continue its rapid eastward movement, reducing the risk of prolonged disruption.
Source: CNN
