Delhi Stares At Severe Pollution As Ethiopia’s Volcano Ash Drifts Towards India, Flight Disruption Likely

New Delhi: India is on alert for potential major air travel disruption due to a large ash plume originating from the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia, which erupted on Sunday (November 23, 2025).

The ash cloud is moving eastward and is forecasted to reach mainland India.

It could arrive in northern India by Monday evening, according to reports.

Meteorological predictions suggest the plume will first hit western India (like Jamnagar) before moving towards Delhi and Jaipur.

Aviation authorities are on high alert. Airlines are already taking precautionary measures, including rerouting flights to avoid affected corridors.

This unexpected threat of volcanic ash comes as northern Indian cities, including Delhi, are already grappling with deteriorating air quality.

About the Volcano Ash

A long-dormant volcano erupted in northern Ethiopia over the weekend, sending ash plumes across the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman.

The Hayli Gubbi volcano in the Afar region of Ethiopia erupted on Sunday morning, leaving the neighboring village of Afdera covered in dust.

A local administrator, Mohammed Seid, said there were no casualties, but the eruption could have economic implications for the local community of livestock herders.

Seid told The Associated Press that there was no previous record of an eruption by the Hayli Gubbi volcano, and that he fears for the livelihoods of residents.

“While no human lives and livestock have been lost so far, many villages have been covered in ash and as a result their animals have little to eat,” he said.

The Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in France also reported the eruption, which it observed on satellite imagery.

The Afar region is prone to earthquakes and a resident, Ahmed Abdela, said he heard a loud sound and what he described as a shock wave.

“It felt like a sudden bomb had been thrown with smoke and ash,” he said.

The village near the Danakil desert, which is a tourist attraction, was still covered in ash on Monday and tourists and guides heading to the desert were stranded in the village, according to Abdela.

The local authorities shared photos and videos of a towering ash plume rising from the volcano.

(With inputs from AP)