The Awakening of Hayli Gubbi: How a 10,000-Year-Old Volcano Disrupted Global Skies 

Following a massive eruption of Ethiopia’s long-dormant Hayli Gubbi volcano—its first in nearly 10,000 years—a high-altitude ash plume traveled across the Red Sea and India before moving towards China, causing significant aviation disruption with numerous cancelled and rerouted flights, particularly for carriers like Air India, though officials confirmed the ash, which remained in the upper troposphere, had no impact on ground-level air quality or weather conditions in India.

The Awakening of Hayli Gubbi: How a 10,000-Year-Old Volcano Disrupted Global Skies 

The Eruption Heard Around the World 

On the morning of November 23, 2025, the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s remote Afar region roared to life after approximately 10,000-12,000 years of dormancy. The explosive eruption began around 8:30 a.m. UTC, sending towering columns of ash and volcanic material soaring to heights of 45,000 feet (13.7 kilometers) into the atmosphere . For local residents like Ahmed Abdela, the awakening was sudden and terrifying. “It felt like a sudden bomb had been thrown with smoke and ash,” he told The Associated Press . 

The Hayli Gubbi volcano, a shield volcano with a low profile resembling a warrior’s shield when viewed from above, is the southernmost volcano of the Erta Ale Range within Ethiopia’s geologically active Rift Valley . This region, where two tectonic plates are slowly pulling apart, represents one of the most volcanically active areas on Earth, though Hayli Gubbi itself had shown no activity throughout the entire Holocene epoch—roughly 12,000 years until this unexpected awakening . 

The timing and intensity of the eruption caught scientists and local communities off guard. Residents reported noticing faint smoke approximately three days before the major eruption, but there were no scientific forecasts predicting this dramatic return to activity . The initial explosion was so powerful that dark smoke and ash plunged nearby areas into near-darkness, with vibrations and moderate tremors reported as far away as Djibouti and Ethiopia’s Wollo area . 

From Ethiopia to India: An Atmospheric Journey 

The eruption produced a massive ash plume that embarked on an extraordinary journey across continents. Carried by strong westerly winds in the upper atmosphere, the cloud first swept across the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman, then continued eastward over the Arabian Sea before making landfall in India . 

By Monday evening, November 24, the ash plume had entered Indian airspace over Gujarat and Rajasthan around 5:30-6:30 PM local time . IndiaMetSky Weather reported the plume was moving at remarkable speeds of 100-120 km/h, carrying volcanic ash, sulfur dioxide, and tiny particles of glass and rock at altitudes between 15,000-25,000 feet, with some layers rising as high as 45,000 feet . 

Throughout Monday night and Tuesday, the ash cloud swept across northwestern India, passing over Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab . The India Meteorological Department (IMD) closely monitored its movement, with forecast models indicating ash influence over these regions through Tuesday . 

Despite initial concerns about air quality impacts in already-polluted cities like Delhi, officials confirmed that the ash cloud remained in the upper troposphere, 8-15 kilometers above sea level, with negligible impact on ground-level air quality . IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra explained, “The impact of this volcanic ash is being seen only in the upper troposphere… It has no impact on air quality and weather” . By Tuesday evening, the plume had completely exited Indian airspace and was moving toward China as predicted . 

Aviation in Crisis: Flights Grounded Amid Ash Threats 

The transportation sector bore the immediate brunt of the volcanic eruption’s impact. Volcanic ash clouds present severe hazards to aircraft, containing abrasive particles that can damage engines, reduce visibility, and contaminate critical systems . In response to the advancing plume, India’s aviation authorities activated emergency protocols. 

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a comprehensive advisory on November 24, directing airlines to strictly avoid published volcanic ash-affected areas and flight levels, adjust flight planning and routing, and carry extra fuel as a precaution . The regulator also mandated immediate reporting of any suspected ash encounters, including engine performance anomalies or unusual cabin smoke or odors . 

Airlines responded with significant operational changes: 

• Air India cancelled at least 11 flights between November 24-25, including both international and domestic routes such as Newark-Delhi, New York-Delhi, Dubai-Hyderabad, and several Mumbai routes . The airline announced precautionary inspections for aircraft that had flown through affected regions . 

• Akasa Air cancelled flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi scheduled for November 24-25 . 

• IndiGo cancelled some flights to the Middle East, while Dutch carrier KLM cancelled its Amsterdam-Delhi service . 

By Tuesday evening, sources reported that seven international flights had been cancelled and twelve delayed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport alone . Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport issued a passenger advisory, urging travelers to check flight status before heading to the airport . 

The Civil Aviation Ministry sought to reassure the public, stating: “Following the 23 Nov volcanic eruption in Ethiopia and the eastward movement of the ash cloud, MoCA – along with ATC, IMD, airlines and international aviation agencies – is ensuring seamless coordination… Operations across India remain smooth, with only a few flights rerouted or descended as a precaution” . 

Why Volcanic Ash Terrifies Aviation Experts 

The aviation industry’s extreme caution regarding volcanic ash stems from well-understood risks that can prove catastrophic. Volcanic ash consists of microscopic particles of pulverized rock and glass, which can have devastating effects on aircraft . 

When aircraft encounter ash clouds, these abrasive particles can damage jet engines by melting inside combustion chambers and forming glassy deposits on turbine blades, potentially causing engine failure. Ash can also pit windshields, reducing visibility for flight crews; contaminate sensors used for navigation and airspeed measurement; and clog ventilation systems that provide cabin air . 

GP Sharma, President of Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet Weather, noted the particular challenge with this event: “Measuring contamination caused by volcanic eruptions takes a lot of preparation. Sensors have to be deployed in advance. This particular volcanic eruption did not provide any room for preparation. So the level of contamination is not known” . 

The DGCA’s advisory highlighted the importance of immediate reporting and inspection protocols, noting that if volcanic ash affects airport operations, runway, taxiway, and apron inspections must be conducted immediately, with operations restricted until cleaning procedures are completed if contamination is found . 

Local Impact: Ethiopia’s Communities Face Fallout 

While international attention focused on aviation disruptions, the eruption had more immediate consequences for communities near the volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region. Local media reported that plumes of ash blanketed surrounding areas, including hilly villages known as tourist attractions . 

The eruption posed potential economic implications for local communities where most residents are livestock herders dependent on forage for their animals. Mohammed Seid, a local administrator, expressed concern: “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” . 

The Afar region, home to the Erta Ale volcano range, is one of the most geologically active areas in East Africa, though the Hayli Gubbi volcano itself had been dormant throughout human history in the region . The unexpected eruption serves as a reminder of the persistent volcanic threats facing communities in geologically active regions, even from long-dormant volcanoes. 

Historical Parallels: Eyjafjallajökull and Beyond 

The travel disruption caused by Hayli Gubbi inevitably draws comparisons to the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption in Iceland, which created unprecedented global travel chaos . Between March and June of that year, the Icelandic volcano ejected ash up to 11 kilometers into the atmosphere, with particles containing sharp glacial debris due to eruption beneath ice . 

The Eyjafjallajökull eruption resulted in the closure of UK airspace for six days, during which approximately 95,000 flights were cancelled . The disruption represented the most severe air travel shutdown since World War II, stranding an estimated 1.2 million passengers daily and costing the UK airline industry alone an estimated $1.45 billion . 

While the Hayli Gubbi eruption caused significant regional disruption, its impact proved less severe and prolonged than the Eyjafjallajökull event. This difference highlights how advances in volcanic monitoring, satellite technology, and international coordination have improved aviation safety responses since 2010. 

Table: Comparing Volcanic Ash Disruption Events 

The Scientific Silver Lining 

Despite the disruptions, the Hayli Gubbi eruption represents a rare scientific opportunity. As GeologyHub, an independent volcanic monitoring group that first detected the growing ash plume, noted: the eruption offers scientists “a striking glimpse of a previously dormant geological site” . 

The event provides volcanologists with a unique case study in the behavior of long-dormant volcanic systems, potentially offering insights into reactivation mechanisms that could apply to similar volcanoes worldwide . The Afar Rift, where Hayli Gubbi is located, represents one of Earth’s most important geological sites—the region where the land masses of Africa and Arabia are slowly pulling apart, creating new oceanic crust . 

Professor Atalay Ayele of Addis Ababa University noted that the eruption was particularly notable because “the volcano had been dormant for thousands of years” and displayed unusual characteristics, being “unusually noisy” without triggering significant seismic activity . 

Satellite technology played a crucial role in monitoring the eruption’s progression and impacts. The European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 satellite and EUMETSAT’s Meteosat-12 provided critical imagery that allowed scientists to track the ash plume’s scale and trajectory in real-time . This technological capability represents a significant advancement over previous volcanic events, enabling more precise forecasting of ash movement and better-informed decision-making by aviation authorities. 

Conclusion: A Reminder of Nature’s Power 

The awakening of Hayli Gubbi after 10,000 years of slumber serves as a powerful reminder of Earth’s dynamic nature and our planet’s capacity for sudden, dramatic change. While the immediate aviation disruptions captured headlines, the eruption offers broader lessons about preparedness, scientific understanding, and resilience in the face of natural phenomena. 

The relatively coordinated response to this event demonstrates improvements in global volcanic risk management since the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull crisis. However, it also highlights remaining vulnerabilities in our interconnected world, where an event in a remote region of Ethiopia can ripple across continents within hours. 

As scientists continue to monitor Hayli Gubbi and analyze data from this rare eruption, the insights gained will strengthen our ability to predict, prepare for, and respond to similar events in the future. In the words of Newsweek’s report, the eruption “highlights how even long-dormant volcanoes can suddenly awaken, posing potential hazards for aviation, regional air travel and local populations” . This reality underscores the importance of sustained investment in volcanic monitoring, international cooperation, and scientific research to mitigate risks from our planet’s powerful geological forces.