Several Flights Cancelled as Ethiopian Volcano Ash Reaches India: 10 Key Updates

A massive volcanic ash plume from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano—erupting for the first time in nearly 12,000 years—swept across northwestern India on Monday night, dimming skies and triggering major air-traffic disruptions. Travelling at 100–120 km/hour at altitudes above 10 km, the cloud crossed Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR and Punjab before drifting eastward.

The plume entered Indian airspace around 6.30 pm, forcing airlines to divert or cancel multiple flights. The IMD said ground-level pollution impacts would remain limited due to the high altitude of the ash, but aviation authorities warned of possible severe disruptions if the cloud descends over key airports on Tuesday.

Key developments:

1. Ash cloud enters India: The plume crossed into Rajasthan at 6.30 pm and rapidly moved across Gujarat, Delhi-NCR and Punjab at 100–120 km/hour.

2. Flight disruptions begin: IndiGo cancelled at least six flights; Akasa Air suspended operations to Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi for Nov 24–25; several other flights were diverted.

3. DGCA issues ASHTAM: India’s aviation regulator released an urgent volcanic-ash alert directing airlines to avoid affected altitudes and follow safety protocols.

4. Rerouting through restricted zones: International carriers began using Pakistani airspace, but Indian airlines—barred from those routes—faced additional cancellations and delays.

5. IMD rules out major surface impact: IMD DG M Mohapatra said the 10–15 km-high plume is unlikely to affect surface air quality significantly, though hazy skies and a slight rise in minimum temperatures may occur.

6. Experts warn of pollution spike: Some analysts, including Sunil Dahiya of Envirocatalysts, warned the ash could briefly worsen NCR’s already elevated pollution levels.

7. AQI already dangerous: Delhi recorded an AQI of 382 (‘very poor’) at 4 pm Monday, with Ghaziabad (396) and Noida (397) nearing the ‘severe’ category even before the ash approached.

8. Hazardous composition: The plume contains volcanic ash, sulphur dioxide, and fine particles of rock and glass, posing significant risks to aircraft engines.

9. Airports on alert: DGCA instructed airports to prepare for immediate inspections of runways and aprons if ashfall is detected, with operations to be halted if contamination occurs.

10. Volcano’s rare eruption: Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano in the Afar region erupted on Sunday, sending ash up to 14 km high. The Toulouse VAAC says the eruption has now ceased, though the ash cloud continues drifting toward India.