A volcano in northern Ethiopia has erupted for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, sending huge plumes of ash high into the sky and spreading dust across nearby villages and even over the Red Sea.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in Ethiopia’s Afar region, erupted on Sunday, pushing ash up to 14 kilometres above the ground. Strong winds then carried the ash toward Yemen and Oman, according to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center.
The eruption lasted several hours and left the neighbouring village of Afdera covered in volcanic dust. Local administrator Mohammed Seid said there were no deaths or injuries, but warned that the situation could become serious for livestock herders.
“Many villages are now covered in ash, and their animals have nothing to eat,” he said. Although no livestock has died so far, Seid fears the community may suffer heavy economic losses if grazing lands remain contaminated.
Residents described the eruption as sudden and frightening. Ahmed Abdela, who lives in the area, said he first heard a loud explosion followed by a wave of heat and ash. “It felt like a bomb had gone off,” he recalled.
Ethiopia’s Afar region sits in one of the world’s most active geological zones, known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. Still, the eruption surprised many because Hayli Gubbi has no recorded history of erupting.
According to the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program, the volcano has remained inactive throughout the entire Holocene period, which began after the last Ice Age around 12,000 years ago.
The ash cloud continued to spread on Monday, with experts reporting that it had moved over northern India and was “quickly heading toward China.” This raised concerns about potential disruptions to flights if ash levels increase, though no cancellations have yet been reported.
Authorities in Ethiopia are monitoring the situation and advising residents to stay indoors, protect their water sources, and keep livestock away from thick ash deposits.
So far, the government has not announced emergency evacuations, but local leaders say the situation will be closely watched in case the volcano shows further activity.
