A rare Ethiopian volcano eruption has caused major disruptions across India’s skies. The Hayli Gubbi volcano in northern Ethiopia erupted for the first time in nearly 12,000 years. This historic eruption sent a thick ash plume high into the atmosphere, which strong winds carried across the Arabian Sea towards India.
The ash first reached Rajasthan around 6:30 pm on Monday. It quickly moved over Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR, and Punjab, carried by winds reaching speeds of nearly 120 km per hour. In several cities, the evening sky turned dim as the volcanic ash passed overhead, creating an unusual sight.
Flight operations were immediately affected. IndiGo canceled six domestic flights, while Akasa Air suspended services to Kuwait, Jeddah, and Abu Dhabi for two days. Several other international flights were rerouted, and India’s aviation regulator issued an urgent ASHTAM alert to keep aircraft away from the affected airspace. Some global airlines rerouted flights via Pakistani airspace, but Indian carriers could not, resulting in additional delays and cancellations.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the ash was drifting at a high altitude of 10–15 km. Officials said this made significant ground-level pollution unlikely.
However, experts warned that if the ash cloud descended even slightly, it could worsen air quality in Delhi-NCR, which was already hazardous. Before the plume arrived, Delhi’s AQI stood at 382, with nearby cities Ghaziabad and Noida nearing ‘severe’ pollution levels.
The eruption itself has now stopped, but the ash continues to travel across the subcontinent. This unexpected event has turned the ancient African volcano into India’s latest weather and air quality concern. Scientists and authorities continue to monitor the movement of the ash cloud to ensure public safety.
