from ADANE BIKILA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Ethiopia Bureau
ADDIS ABABA, (CAJ News) – A POWERFUL eruption of Ethiopia’s long-dormant Hayli Gubbi volcano has reignited global concern over volcanic hazards in densely populated regions — underscoring how even remote geological events can ripple through global travel and local livelihoods.
On Sunday, Hayli Gubbi, located in the remote Afar region near the Eritrean border, erupted for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, shooting ash roughly 14 km into the atmosphere.
The ash plume, carried by high-altitude winds across the Red Sea, Yemen, Oman and into South Asia, triggered a wave of flight cancellations and diversions — a stark reminder of how volcanic ash can endanger aircraft engines and passenger safety.
Several airlines responded accordingly. In India and the Middle East, carriers such as Air India, Akasa Air, IndiGo, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines cancelled or rerouted flights affected by the ash cloud.
In the Afar region, local officials reported no human fatalities. But villagers described once-lush grazing lands and water sources blanketed in thick ash, jeopardising livestock and undermining local livelihoods.
“Many villages have been covered in ash and as a result their animals have little to eat,” said Afar regional official Mohammed Seid.
The eruption also triggered concern among geologists. Experts such as volcanologist Simon Carn of Michigan Technological University noted Hayli Gubbi had no known Holocene-era activity, making this a startling and historically significant event.
In response, Ethiopia’s federal and regional governments mobilised emergency teams to assess ash fallout, deploy medical units, and monitor air and water safety in affected villages.
International aviation bodies issued NOTAMs and advisories instructing airlines to avoid ash-contaminated airspace.
Experts warn that volcanic ash poses more than immediate disruption: in populated regions, heavy ash fall can damage crops, contaminate water supplies, impair respiratory health, and destabilise infrastructure.
For aviation, even fine ash particles can cause catastrophic engine failure.
The Hayli Gubbi eruption — after millennia of dormancy — serves as a sobering example that even remote volcanoes can suddenly awaken, with far-reaching effects on communities, the environment, and global skies.
– CAJ News