Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted on November 23rd for the first time in recorded history, sending ash plumes across the Horn of Africa and disrupting air travel as far away as Pakistan and India. The eruption, which reached a height of 8.7 miles (14 km), has ceased as of November 28th, but its impact on local communities remains significant.
First Eruption in Millennia
The volcano’s last known eruption occurred roughly 12,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age. This makes the current event historically unprecedented in modern observation. The timing is striking because many of Ethiopia’s active volcanoes haven’t been closely monitored, meaning this type of event could occur again without warning.
Local Impact and Response
Villages in the Afdera district were coated in ash, affecting homes and livestock. Mobile medical teams from the Afar region were dispatched to provide aid to impacted communities. Despite the disruption, no fatalities have been reported so far, though the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Regional Airspace Disrupted
The ash cloud drifted eastward, causing temporary flight cancellations in Pakistan, Northern India, and eventually moving toward China. This highlights the potential for volcanic eruptions in one region to quickly impact global transportation networks.
Ethiopia’s Volcanic Landscape
Ethiopia is home to around 50 active volcanoes, according to Atalay Ayele, a seismologist at Addis Ababa University. These volcanoes are capable of sudden activity, and while no scientific forecasts preceded Hayli Gubbi’s eruption, locals reported seeing smoke in the days leading up to the event. This suggests that local observation can sometimes provide early warning signs even without advanced monitoring systems.
Recent Volcanic Activity in Ethiopia
Hayli Gubbi’s eruption follows increased activity at Erta Ale, another Ethiopian volcano with a persistent lava lake, which emitted a dense black cloud in July. The combination of these events underscores the volatile geological conditions in the Afar region.
The eruption of Hayli Gubbi serves as a reminder that even dormant volcanoes can reactivate after thousands of years, and that comprehensive monitoring is crucial for mitigating risks in volcanically active regions.
