Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted on Sunday for the first time in more than 12,000 years. The intensity of the eruption resulted in a massive column of ash soaring nearly 45,000 feet into the sky, moving northeast at around 100 to 120 kilometres per hour. The ash cloud drifted over the Red Sea and into countries including Yemen, Oman, and parts of India and Pakistan on Monday.

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Ash cloud completely exits India

The ash cloud reached northwest India on Monday night, moving across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR, Haryana, and Punjab according to the India Meteorological Department. By late Tuesday, most of the ash cloud had exited India, although small pockets were still detected in the northeast.

Satellite images, provided by IMD, later confirmed that by 10:30 pm on Tuesday, the ash cloud had cleared Indian airspace and was moving towards China. 

Thankfully, the volcanic ash did not worsen Delhi’s already poor air quality, which has been troubling residents for months. However, the thick ash cloud briefly disrupted flights at high altitudes. Several airlines, including Air India and Akasa Air, cancelled their flights across routes. 

No threat to India’s air quality

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that the volcanic ash was initially affecting the upper troposphere, far above the surface. IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, cited by ANI, said that the ash posed no risk to air quality or local weather. “The impact of this volcanic ash is being seen only in the upper troposphere, affecting flight operations. It has no effect on air quality or weather,” he added.

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In Rajasthan, IMD confirmed the presence of “S clouds” in the middle and upper troposphere. According to scientist Radheshyam Sharma, these clouds, which were 8–15 km high, had crossed Rajasthan on November 24. He reassured that there would be no major impact at the surface or in Rajasthan in the coming days.

According to IMD updates, the ash cloud completely exited Indian skies by Tuesday evening and continued its journey towards China. Officials reassured that the ash has no immediate impact on weather or air quality.

Satellite imagery captured the massive scale of the eruption earlier. European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 and reports from the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre showed the ash plume spreading rapidly across thousands of kilometres. The volcano had been dormant for nearly 10,000 years.

Airlines take precautionary measures

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) earlier issued an advisory for Indian airlines directing them to avoid flying through the regions affected by the volcanic ash. The aviation ministry, along with the Airports Authority of India, air traffic control, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), airlines, and international aviation agencies, worked together to ensure safe operations.

Air India also took precautionary action by cancelling several flights on November 24 and 25. The cancelled flights included international services from Newark and New York to Delhi, as well as flights from Dubai, Doha, and Dammam to Hyderabad, Chennai, and Mumbai.  Other airlines, including IndiGo and Akasa Air, had already adjusted their operations.