Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi Volcano Ash Cloud Reaches India 

1) What Happened? (Event Overview)

• Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted after nearly 10,000 years.

• Ash cloud entered India on Monday evening, first hitting Gujarat, then Rajasthan, NW Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab.

• Ash plume is moving towards the Himalayas at 100–120 km/hr.

• Volcano lies in the Afar Rift Valley, a highly active tectonic zone.

2) Ash Cloud Features

• Ash height: 15,000–25,000 ft (some layers touched 45,000 ft).

• Contents: Volcanic ash, sulphur dioxide (SO₂), tiny particles of glass and rock.

• Skies may appear darker, hazier, visibility may dip.

• Chances of ashfall on plains: Low.

3) Impact on Indian Cities

• Affected regions: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Punjab, NW Maharashtra.

• Plume already above Delhi and Western UP late Monday night.

• Expected to influence Himalayan areas and Nepal hills (SO₂ increase).

4) Will AQI Worsen? (Safety Update)

• NO major impact on India’s ground-level AQI.

• Reason: Ash is at high altitude (25,000–45,000 ft).

• Only sky darkening and haziness possible.

• Some SO₂ may affect Himalayan–Nepal hills & UP Terai region.

5) How Did the Ash Travel?

• Eruption began: Sunday, 8:30 am GMT (VAAC, Toulouse).

• Ash rose 14 km high, then drifted over:
  Red Sea → Yemen → Oman → Arabian Sea → India → Pakistan.

6) Aviation Impact

• Airlines issued warnings due to ash in Middle East airspace.

• DGCA advisory:

  • Avoid ash-affected routes.

  • Adjust flight plans & fuel load.

  • Inspect runways if ash is suspected.

• Flight disruptions: Akasa, IndiGo, KLM cancelled some flights.

• Mumbai Airport alerted passengers of route impacts.