Volcanic Ash from Ethiopia Reaches India: What You Need to Know

New Delhi: The volcanic eruption of the Heli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia, which erupted after nearly 12,000 years, has sent ash clouds traveling thousands of kilometers, affecting multiple countries worldwide. India is not spared, as the ash plume has already reached the skies over Delhi-NCR. States including Gujarat, Rajasthan, northwest Maharashtra, Haryana, and Punjab are also under its potential influence.

Impact on India
The capital, already struggling with poor air quality, now faces an added challenge from the ash cloud arriving from nearly 4,500 km away. The eruption released a massive plume of ash and sulfur dioxide reaching up to 15 kilometers into the atmosphere. Traveling across the Red Sea, the plume passed over Yemen and Oman before reaching Delhi by Monday night around 11 PM.

The ash has also disrupted air traffic, forcing some flight cancellations and diversions. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued important advisories, instructing pilots to avoid ash-affected areas and alter flight routes and altitudes accordingly.

What Is Volcanic Ash?
The ash from Heli Gubbi consists of tiny particles of silica, rock, and sulfur dioxide gas. While these particles can affect air quality, most of the ash is flying at 10–15 kilometers above the ground, mainly impacting air travel rather than ground-level pollution.

Effects on Weather and Air Quality
According to IMD Chief Mrityunjay Mohapatra, the ash clouds are moving toward northwest India and have already reached Delhi-NCR. Although the main concern is aviation safety, there is potential for the ash to create a hazy sky and slightly influence minimum temperatures.

How Volcanic Ash Clouds Form
When a volcano erupts, molten lava and solid rocks are broken into fine particles, which are forcefully ejected into the atmosphere, forming clouds that can reach heights of 10–20 kilometers.

Why Volcanic Ash Is Dangerous
If volcanic ash settles near the ground, it can irritate eyes, skin, and lungs, and reduce air quality. In this case, the ash is high in the atmosphere, so the primary concern is air travel. Jet engines can be damaged if they ingest ash, cockpit windows can be affected, sensors can fail, and visibility can be reduced—posing serious risks to flights.

Precautions for Flights
The DGCA has advised airlines to avoid ash clouds, and flights in potentially affected areas may be diverted or canceled to ensure safety. Passengers are urged to check with airlines for updated schedules.