Volcanic ash from Ethiopia disrupts flights as cloud drifts toward India
Several flights were cancelled on Monday as Indian airlines and airports were put on alert over a massive ash plume drifting from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano, which erupted on Sunday for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, media reports said.
Weather models show the plume already brushing Rajasthan and Haryana, with its denser sections likely to pass over Delhi within hours.
Experts say the ash, high in the atmosphere, may worsen air quality but is unlikely to cause ground-level ashfall.
Akasa Air, IndiGo, and KLM have cancelled multiple flights citing safety concerns.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has instructed airlines to avoid affected airspace, revise routes and fuel calculations, and stay updated with satellite imagery and meteorological data.
Airlines have also been told to immediately report any suspected ash encounters, including engine irregularities or cabin smoke, or odour.
Airports, if impacted, must carry out urgent inspections of runways, taxiways, and aprons.
Akasa Air said flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi on November 24 and 25 have been cancelled.
IndiGo reassured passengers that safety remains its top priority as the ash cloud drifts toward western India.
The eruption in Ethiopia’s Afar region blanketed nearby villages in dust and triggered moderate tremors around Erta Ale and Afdera town. The Hayli Gubbi volcano sits roughly 15 km southeast of the active Erta Ale volcano.
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