New Delhi: An ash cloud from Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcano is likely to drift into parts of western and north-western India today, November 25. The visibility in several states of India will be reduced. According to reports, air traffic across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR and Punjab is expected to be disrupted due to the windborne ash cloud.
According to IndiaMetSky Weather, the ash cloud is about to enter Gujarat and move towards Rajasthan, north-west Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab by today evening. "Later it will impact the Himalayas and other regions," the meteorological service said as quoted by ANI.
Some reports even claimed that the ash cloud already entered Delhi. The ash plume is reportedly moving at a speed of 100-120 km/h toward North India. It is travelling at altitudes between 15,000-25,000 feet up to 45,000 feet. It contains volcanic ash, sulphur dioxide, and small particles of glass and rock.
As per the IndiaMetSky Weather, the ash cloud could make the sky appear darker and hazier, reducing the visibility. "Ash cloud moving towards North India. A large ash plume can be seen stretching from #HayliGubbi Volcano region up to #Gujarat. The eruption has stopped ever since the eruption, but this ash plume has been sent up into the atmosphere, which is moving at a speed of 100-120 km/h toward North India," the statement by the meteorological service read, as quoted by the news agency.
According to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC), the explosive eruption began around 8:30 am UTC on Sunday. Notably, it was the first activity from the nearly 10,000-year-dormant volcano. The eruption has now stopped, but a huge ash plume is moving towards India.
After the eruption, volcanic ash activity has been reported over parts of the Arabian Peninsula.
Hayli Gubbi is a shield volcano located in the Afar Region of Ethiopia. Until November this year, there was no known record of any eruptions of this volcano within the past 12,000 years since the beginning of the Holocene era.
