Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi Volcano Erupts After 12,000 Years – Ash Cloud Reaches India and China

By John Zurcher, America News World
Published: November 27, 2025

A huge volcano in Ethiopia named Hayli Gubbi woke up after sleeping for almost 12,000 years. It erupted on Sunday, November 23, 2025, and sent giant clouds of ash more than 45,000 feet (14 km) into the sky.

The eruption happened in the remote Afar region in northeast Ethiopia, near the border with Eritrea. Scientists say this was the first time in recorded history that Hayli Gubbi has erupted.

**Ash Cloud Travels Thousands of Miles**
Strong high-altitude winds pushed the volcanic ash across the Red Sea, over Yemen, Oman, Pakistan, and then into India. On Monday and Tuesday (November 24-25), people in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana, and Maharashtra saw a light grey haze in the sky. Satellite pictures showed the ash cloud clearly moving over northern India.

By Tuesday night (10:30 pm Indian time), the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the ash had completely left Indian airspace and was moving toward China.

Plume extending for approximately 3,700 kilometres from Ethiopia to the Arabian Sea.

**Effect on Flights in India**
Volcanic ash is very dangerous for airplane engines, so many flights were cancelled or delayed on November 24 and 25.

– At least 7 international flights were cancelled.
– More than 12 overseas flights were delayed.
– Air India cancelled 13 flights in two days and gave free hotel rooms to stranded passengers.
– Akasa Air and IndiGo also changed routes or cancelled flights to the Middle East.

India’s Civil Aviation Ministry said safety was the top priority and everything was under control.

**Good News for Delhi Pollution**
Many Delhi residents were scared that the volcanic ash would make the city’s already bad air quality even worse. Luckily, experts said the ash stayed very high in the sky (upper troposphere), so it did not mix with the pollution near the ground. Delhi’s AQI stayed in the “very poor” zone, but the volcano did not make it worse.

Some people noticed beautiful colorful sunsets and sunrises because tiny dust particles in the high sky scatter light.

**Damage in Ethiopia**
Near the volcano, life is very difficult right now.

– Thick ash covers villages, houses, grass, and water sources.
– Local people are coughing because of ash in the air.
– Mobile medical teams have been sent to help.
– Animals (goats, camels, cattle) cannot find clean water or grass to eat.
– Two small areas called Fia and Nemma-Gubi are the worst affected.

Government officials say the eruption has now stopped (subsided) as of Wednesday, November 26.

**Why Did the Volcano Suddenly Wake Up?
Ethiopia sits on the East African Rift, a place where three big tectonic plates are slowly pulling apart. This area has many active volcanoes and earthquakes. Scientists were not surprised that a volcano erupted, but they did not expect Hayli Gubbi because it had been quiet for 12,000 years.

**Other Volcano News This Week**
– Kilauea volcano in Hawaii started erupting again on Tuesday, shooting lava 400 feet high (but no danger to homes).
– Bezymianny volcano in Russia is showing increased activity.

**Will This Happen Again Soon?**
Experts say the Hayli Gubbi eruption is now over, and the ash cloud will keep moving across Asia and finally disappear over the Pacific Ocean in the coming days.

**Key Takeaways**
– Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted after 12,000 years of sleep.
– Ash cloud crossed India but did not harm air quality on the ground.
– Flights were disrupted for two days; normal operations have resumed.
– Local communities and animals in Ethiopia need help because of heavy ash fall.
– Scientists will keep watching the Afar region for more activity.

America News World will keep you updated if any new volcanic events happen around the world.

**Author: John Zurcher** – Senior World News Editor, America News World