A volcano in Ethiopia, reportedly dormant for the last 10,000 years, erupted, spewing columns of thick smoke and ash high into the sky, disrupting air traffic for thousands of miles, as far as India. The long-inactive Hayli Gubbi volcano in the Afar region of northeastern Ethiopia “came to life” on Sunday, dusting nearby villages and causing problems for farmers. Although no casualties were reported, the eruption threatens the local pastoralist community as it leads to the burial of vital grazing lands, local administrator Mohammed Seyed told the Associated Press. Residents described hearing a terrifying explosion at the moment of the eruption. “It felt like a bomb suddenly went off, with smoke and ash,” local resident Ahmed Abedela told the news agency. Social Media The eruption was captured by satellites, with NASA images showing thick plumes of dust rising into the sky and spreading over the Red Sea. According to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center, volcanic clouds from the eruption shifted over Yemen, Oman, and also reached Pakistan and India. Pakistan’s meteorological department issued an advisory after ash entered its airspace late on Monday evening. In India, flagship carrier Air India canceled a number of domestic and international flights to conduct “precautionary checks on aircraft that have flown over certain geographical points following the eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano,” the company said in a post on X. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi, which is experiencing a wave of severe air pollution, is not expected to be significantly affected as the ash is being carried at high altitudes. Ash from the eruption of the long-dormant Hayli Gubbi volcano in the Afar region, Ethiopia, on November 23, 2025. Ash from the eruption of the long-dormant Hayli Gubbi volcano in the Afar region, Ethiopia, on November 23, 2025. Afar Government Information Bureau/AP The plumes are expected to shift rapidly eastward, the IMD added. Located about 800 kilometers (500 miles) northeast of the capital Addis Ababa, Hayli Gubbi is the southernmost volcano of the Erta Ale range—a volcanic chain in Ethiopia’s Afar region. It stands about 500 meters high and is in an area of intense geological activity where two tectonic plates meet.
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