Ethiopia’s long-quiet Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted on Sunday for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, startling communities in the Afar region. The eruption sent thick ash and smoke nearly 14 kilometres into the sky, drifting across the Red Sea toward Yemen, Oman, India, and northern Pakistan, according to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre.
Residents in the nearby village of Afdera described a powerful blast and a shock wave that spread through the area. Ahmed Abdela, who lives in Afar, said the sound felt like an explosion and the sky quickly filled with ash. Afdera, a stopover for tourists heading to the Danakil desert, now remains buried in volcanic dust, leaving travellers stranded as the situation continues to develop.
Local administrator Mohammed Seid said the eruption caused major concern for pastoral families who rely on livestock. Ash now covers grazing land, leaving animals with little food. He added that although no casualties have occurred, the economic impact could become serious if the ash affects more villages.
The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program noted that Hayli Gubbi has no recorded eruption during the Holocene era. Volcanologist Simon Carn confirmed this is the first documented activity in modern history.
