NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Ash plumes from a volcanic eruption in Ethiopia covered parts of Pakistan and northern India on Tuesday, forcing Air India and Akasa Air to cancel some flights as a precaution. The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia's Afar region erupted on Sunday for the first time in recorded history,

The Hayli Gubbi volcano in northeast Ethiopia, believed to have been dormant for up to 12,000 years, erupted on 23 November 2025, sending a massive plume of ash and sulfur dioxide high into the atmosphere.

Ethiopia’s Afar and Oromia regions have been hit by several earthquakes and tremors since the beginning of 2025. The strongest, with a magnitude of 5.7, struck on 4 January. The US Geological Survey and the German Research Centre for Geosciences reported that its epicentre was 142km east of the capital,

According to the experts, the ash clouds from Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruption affected aviation, but not local weather or air quality.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an advisory following the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia, impacting flights with ash clouds drifting towards India. Airlines are instructed to avoid affected areas and report any encounters with ash.

Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest carrier, has placed a firm order for six additional Airbus A350-900 aircraft, further

An official in charge of health in northern Ethiopia's Afdera district, Abedella Mussa, said the residents were coughing and mobile medical services from the larger Afar region had been launched in the remote area.