A massive cloud of volcanic ash from Ethiopia drifted over parts of India late Monday, raising concerns about air quality, weather changes, and flight safety across several northern states. The ash originated from the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region, which erupted on Sunday, November 23, its first eruption in almost 12,000 years.
Volcanic ash drifted towards India around 11 pm on Monday and reached the skies over Gujarat, Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana on Tuesday. This sparked concern about its impact on the weather and air quality over India.
Is there still a risk to people in North India?
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the threat is over. Citing satellite images, the IMD told the Hindustan Times that, as of 10.30 pm on Tuesday, the ash cloud had “completely exited” Indian skies.
Earlier, the agency said the ash plume had risen to almost 45,000 feet, disrupting major high-altitude international flight routes. This forced airlines to cancel or reroute several services.
Flight disruptions
Multiple airlines reported cancellations through Monday and Tuesday. Air India said it cancelled 11 flights, mostly international, to inspect aircraft that might have passed through affected airspace, following guidance from India’s aviation safety regulator.
Akasa Air also cancelled flights to Middle East destinations including Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi.
At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, at least seven international flights scheduled for Tuesday were cancelled and about a dozen more were delayed, according to airport officials.
Did the ash cloud affect weather or pollution?
According to the experts, the ash clouds from Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruption affected aviation, but not local weather or air quality.
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology at the IMD, clarified that the ash remained in the upper troposphere, far above the altitudes at which weather patterns and air quality are typically affected.
“The impact of this volcanic ash is being seen only in the upper troposphere, and it is affecting flight operations. It has no impact on air quality and weather,” he was quoted by ANI as saying.
He added that international flights operate between 35,000 and 40,000 feet, while the ash was observed even higher.
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