(Web Desk) – Volcanic ash from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano has entered Delhi and is expected to move eastwards towards China.
A forecast quoted the latest satellite imagery and mentioned that the volcanic dust has been detected over north India, and it is likely to pass India by tonight.
The development has prompted airlines and airport authorities to issue precautionary notices to passengers.
Airlines operating in India also issued statements reassuring passengers that safety remains the top priority as the volcanic ash approaches Indian airspace.
Akasa Air, IndiGo and KLM are among the airlines that cancelled some flights due to the ash plumes on Monday.
Akasa Air also noted that it is monitoring the development in accordance with international advisories.
IndiGo said its teams are “closely tracking the situation in coordination with international aviation bodies” and are fully prepared with necessary precautions.
Air India confirmed there is “no major impact” on operations so far but said it remains in constant touch with crew and global aviation authorities.
Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport issued a passenger advisory stating that volcanic activity in Ethiopia has affected parts of West Asian airspace and may impact certain international routes.
The Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) stated that the eruption began around 8.30 am UTC on Sunday and has since stopped, though the ash plume continued drifting toward northern India.
Aviation authorities are tracking the plume’s height and trajectory to ensure safe operations.
The volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region erupted on Sunday for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, sending ash clouds up to 14 km into the sky.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located about 800 km northeast of Addis Ababa near the Eritrean border, sits in the tectonically active Rift Valley.
Ash clouds from the eruption drifted over Yemen, Oman, India, and northern Pakistan, the report mentioned.
The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program confirmed to Reuters that the volcano has no known eruptions during the Holocene, making the event unusually significant.
