Pakistan issues first-ever volcanic ash alert after Ethiopia eruption

KARACHI: The long-dormant Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia erupted after nearly 12,000 years, with its ash cloud detected south of Pakistan’s coast, the Meteorological Department confirmed on Monday.

According to a Met Office spokesperson, volcanic ash from the Hayli Gubbi eruption was observed around 60 nautical miles south of Gwadar. The official said this was the first time Pakistan had issued an alert related to volcanic ash from an international eruption.

The spokesperson added that the ash cloud is currently positioned at an altitude of around 45,000 feet.

Aviation expert Anjum Nazir Zaigham explained that domestic flights in Pakistan generally operate between 34,000 and 36,000 feet, while international aircraft fly between 40,000 and 45,000 feet, making high-altitude ash a potential risk for jet engines.

However, he clarified that Karachi and other urban areas face no threat of air pollution or hazardous conditions from the eruption, as the ash remains far offshore and at high altitude.

Authorities said they are continuing to monitor the situation closely to ensure aviation safety.

Earlier, AFP reported that a volcano in Ethiopia’s northeastern region erupted for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, sending thick plumes of smoke up to 14 kilometres (nine miles) into the sky, the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) said.

The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in Ethiopia’s Afar region about 800 kilometres (500 miles) northeast of Addis Ababa near the Eritrean border, erupted on Sunday for several hours.

The volcano, which rises about 500 metres in altitude, sits within the Rift Valley, a zone of intense geological activity where two tectonic plates meet.

Ash clouds from the volcano drifted over Yemen, Oman, India, and northern Pakistan, the VAAC said.

In videos shared on social media, which AFP could not immediately verify, a thick column of white smoke can be seen rising.

The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program said Hayli Gubbi has had no known eruptions during the Holocene, which began around 12,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age.

Simon Carn, a volcanologist and professor at the Michigan Technological University, confirmed on Bluesky that Hayli Gubbi “has no record of Holocene eruptions”.

Afar authorities have not yet responded to AFP inquiries about possible casualties or the number of displaced people.