Northern Ethiopian Volcano Erupts After 12,000 Years of Dormancy

The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in northern Ethiopia, erupted yesterday after being dormant for almost 12,000 years, blowing ash across western Asia.

Hayli Gubbi is a shield volcano in northeastern Ethiopia within the region of Afar, close to the country's border with Eritrea and Djibouti. The volcano's last recorded eruption was over 12,000 years ago, leading many to believe that it was completely extinct.

The volcano lies on the Erta Ale range, situated near the triple junction of the African, Arabian, and Somali tectonic plates. The divergent nature of these plates creates a gap in between where magma can seep through and rise to the surface, forming a chain of volcanoes along the border.

This rift zone is known as the Danakil Depression– it is one of the hottest, driest, and lowest places on Earth, with average temperatures of over 119°F and 4-8 inches of annual rainfall, along with the fact that it is located around 410 feet below sea level. The depression is known for its otherworldly landscape, involving sulfur springs and massive salt flats.

Despite the Danakil Depression's adverse climate, the slopes of the Hayli Gubbi volcano are covered in farms and pastures, and ash from the volcano's eruptions long ago has enabled greater growing capabilities.

Then, yesterday, the volcano erupted for the first time in over 12,000 years, blanketing the surrounding region in ash. Locals described the eruption as similar to a bomb blast as thousands of tons of ash and rock blasted into the sky, creating a cloud that could easily be seen from space.

Strong winds then carried this ash across the Red Sea into the Middle East, dropping ash over Yemen, Oman, and even over the Persian Gulf into Pakistan and India.

Unfortunately, New Delhi and the rest of northern India are already grappling with toxic smog due to the annual burning of the fields, leading to skyrocketing AQIs. In fact, breathing has become so hazardous that local merchants have begun selling masks attached to tanks filled with clean air– and the addition of ash and smoke from the volcano will not help the situation.

Thankfully, most of the ash is flying at a high level, preventing it from impacting the ground, but it will have a greater impact on the Himalayas once it reaches that region.

However, several international and domestic flights were canceled due to the incoming ash, while others were rerouted to avoid passing through it.

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Image credit to AP