By 11 pm, meteorological trackers confirmed that the ash cloud had drifted 4,300 km to Delhi after entering India through the Jodhpur–Jaisalmer corridor. The plume spread across Rajasthan, Haryana, and the National Capital Region, prompting Air India to cancel 11 flights. Aviation authorities warned that even minimal ash exposure can damage aircraft engines, forcing several domestic and international flights to alter routes.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a safety advisory instructing airlines to avoid ash-affected airspace and adjust flight plans and fuel loads accordingly. It also directed airlines to report any suspected ash encounterssuch as engine fluctuations or cabin odor immediately, and advised airports to inspect runways and taxiways if ashfall is detected.
No casualties have been reported in Ethiopia, though authorities in Yemen and Oman urged residents, particularly those with respiratory illnesses, to remain cautious. Scientists say the eruption is significant because Haile Gubbi had no documented history of activity. The Afar Rift, where three tectonic plates meet, is among the world’s most geologically active zones, but most monitoring has focused on nearby volcanoes like Erta Ale.
Experts believe that the large sulfur dioxide release signals deeper tectonic movement and warn that additional eruptions cannot be ruled out. Satellite systems across several countries are now tracking the ash cloud, which is expected to move toward China by Tuesday evening.
Researchers say the event offers a rare window into the behavior of shield volcanoes that awaken after millennia, with studies expected to focus on magma shifts beneath the Afar region and their broader implications for rift-zone volcanism.
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