Ethiopian Eruption Sends Ash Across Region, Reaches Pakistan

News Desk 

Islamabad: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued an unprecedented advisory after ash clouds from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano drifted into Pakistani airspace, raising concerns over aviation safety.

The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in Ethiopia’s Afar region near the Eritrean border and about 800 kilometres northeast of Addis Ababa, erupted on Sunday for several hours — its first known eruption in nearly 12,000 years. The volcano, rising around 500 metres, lies within the tectonically active Rift Valley.

According to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC), the eruption sent dense ash plumes up to 14 kilometres high. These ash clouds have since travelled across Yemen, Oman, India, and northern Pakistan.

PMD official Anjum Nazir Zaigham told Geo.tv that volcanic ash was detected 60 nautical miles southwest of Gwadar at an altitude of about 45,000 feet.

“The Met Office has issued two advisories. Domestic flights usually operate at 34,000 to 36,000 feet, while international flights at 40,000 to 45,000 feet may face disruptions, as volcanic ash can impact aircraft engines,” he said.

Zaigham noted that this is the first time in Pakistan’s history that the Met Office has issued an alert related to volcanic ash. He added that the PMD has been monitoring the plume’s movement since last night.

Responding to whether Karachi could be affected, he said the ash will remain at very high altitudes and is not expected to impact conditions on the ground.

A VAAC interactive map indicates that the ash cloud will track over southern Sindh before drifting northeast towards India.

Global volcanology data supports the rarity of the event. The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program confirms no known Holocene-era eruptions of Hayli Gubbi. Volcanologist Simon Carn of Michigan Technological University reiterated on Bluesky that the volcano has “no record of Holocene eruptions.”

Videos circulating on social media showed thick white smoke rising from the site, though these could not be independently verified. Authorities in Ethiopia’s Afar region have yet to provide information regarding casualties or displacement and have not responded to AFP’s inquiries.