Ethiopian volcano erupts for first time in nearly 12k years, disrupting global travel


Summary

Global disruption

A historic volcanic eruption disrupted global air travel and the lives of nearby livestock operations, according to reports.

Livestock impact

Local officials said the livestock animals have not died as a result of the eruption but ash that covers the ground has left them with little to eat.

Flight impact

Indian airlines cancelled a number of flights due to the smoke plume created by the volcanic eruption.


Full story

A volcano in northeast Ethiopia erupted for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, sending a massive plume of ash almost nine miles into the sky and disrupting flights across several countries. The Hayli Gubbi volcano sent ash clouds over Yemen, Oman, India and Pakistan, prompting widespread cancellations and operational delays, according to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC).

Global travel impact

Air India and Akasa Air confirmed to Reuters that they cancelled multiple flights Monday into Tuesday due to the ash cloud drifting across international airspace.

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Air India said it had cancelled 11 flights both days to perform precautionary safety checks on aircraft that had flown over some areas of the eruption.

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There are 1,350 potentially active volcanoes worldwide. Most are located in the “Ring of Fire” around the Pacific Ocean, according to USGS.

Akasa Air reported it had cancelled some flights to Middle East locations, including Jeddah, Kuwait and Abud Dhabi over the two days.

Airport authorities said only a small number of flights needed to be rerouted, and that all affected passengers had been notified.

The ash cloud moved toward China on Tuesday and was expected to clear from the Indian skies later in the day.

Parts of northern India and Pakistan were already coated in ash earlier in the week.

No casualties reported, but livestock at risk

Local officials in Ethiopia say no injuries or deaths have been reported, but the eruption is creating serious challenges for livestock farmers in nearby villages.

“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,” Mohammed Seid, a local administrator, told The Associated Press.

One resident described the eruption to the AP as feeling “like a sudden bomb had been thrown with smoke and ash.”

A historic eruption

The volcano sits in Ethiopia’s Afar region, an area prone to earthquakes.

The Smithsonian Institution Program says this is the first known eruption of Hayli Gubbi in about 12,000 years, per CBS News. Sim Carn, a volcanologist, confirmed that finding in a social media post.

Jason K. Morrell and Ally Heath contributed to this report.
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Why this story matters

The eruption of Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcano after nearly 12,000 years disrupted international air travel and drew scientific attention to risks from seldom-monitored volcanoes, highlighting challenges for global aviation safety and impacts on local communities.

Aviation disruption

Ash clouds from the eruption led to flight cancellations and rerouting across India and the Middle East, emphasizing how distant geological events can quickly impact global air travel, according to multiple aviation authorities and news sources.

Rare geological event

Hayli Gubbi's eruption is the first in recorded history, described by scientists as highly unusual and emphasizing the unpredictable nature of long-dormant volcanoes in tectonically active zones.

Local community impact

Officials report no casualties, but livestock herders in Ethiopia's Afar region face grazing losses as ash covers villages, raising concerns about local economies and food security, per statements reported by The Associated Press and other sources.

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Behind the numbers

The Hayli Gubbi eruption sent ash plumes 10-15 kilometers into the atmosphere, causing airlines in India to cancel or reroute flights as a safety precaution and affecting air travel for thousands of passengers across several countries.

Context corner

Hayli Gubbi lies in the geologically active Afar Rift Valley, where shifting tectonic plates often generate volcanic activity and earthquakes, and the region saw a similar dormant volcano eruption in Eritrea in 2011.

History lesson

Volcanic eruptions after millennia of dormancy have occurred elsewhere, most notably during Iceland's 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, which led to global airspace closures and extensive study on volcano monitoring and risk.

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Sources

Bias comparison

  • Media outlets on the left framed it within Ethiopia's broader environmental ambitions and political conflicts, using terms like "dreams of championing" or noting how events "hinder the ambitions."
  • Media outlets in the center maintained a more neutral tone, focusing on geological context and the general threat of 'little-known volcanoes.'
  • Media outlets on the right emphasized dramatic impact, describing the volcano as "violently awoke" with a "giant" ash cloud, and highlighting concerns about worsening "toxic air" in Delhi.

Media landscape

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246 total sources

Key points from the Left

  • The Hayli Gubbi volcano in northern Ethiopia erupted after being dormant for 10,000 years, sending ash plumes up to 14 kilometers into the atmosphere and covering the village of Afdera in dust.
  • No casualties have been reported from the eruption, but local administrator Mohammed Seid mentioned potential economic impacts for livestock herders due to ash coverage affecting their animals' food supply.
  • Ash clouds from the eruption have reached Yemen, Oman, and India, prompting the Airports Authority of India to issue a Notice to Air Missions for air traffic adjustments.
  • India's civil aviation ministry is monitoring the situation, but current flight operations across the country remain largely unaffected.

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Key points from the Center

  • On Monday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued an advisory to airlines and airports over possible disruptions from volcanic ash plumes, warning carriers to avoid affected areas and adjust flight plans.
  • The HayliGubbi volcano's recent eruption in Ethiopia produced ash clouds drifting toward western India, and Air India said, `Following the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia, ash clouds have been observed over certain geographical regions`.
  • Several carriers, including IndiGo and KLM, cancelled some international services, with Akasa Air noting `Following recent volcanic activity in Ethiopia and the resulting ash plume in the surrounding airspace, our flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi scheduled for 24th and 25th November 2025 have been cancelled`.
  • The DGCA ordered airlines to immediately report any suspected ash encounters and required airport operators to inspect runways, taxiways and aprons and complete cleaning before resuming movements.
  • Airlines are coordinating with international aviation bodies and monitoring satellite and meteorological data as teams track the ash plume, stressing safety as their highest priority and staying in contact with operating crew.

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Key points from the Right

  • Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted for the first time in over 10,000 years on November 23 at around 8:30 AM UTC, sending ash clouds over the Red Sea towards Yemen and Oman.
  • Ash clouds from the eruption have disrupted flights from India to destinations in West Asia, causing cancellations and delays for airlines including IndiGo, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet.
  • The Directorate General of Civil Aviation advised airlines to avoid ash-affected flying zones and check runways for contamination due to volcanic ash, which can damage aircraft engines.
  • Authorities in Oman are monitoring air quality and confirmed there is no current rise in pollutant levels from gas and ash emissions.

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