Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano in the Afar Region, which erupted for the first time in at least 12,000 years on Sunday morning, has caught global attention as its ash began drifting across other regions, including the Indian subcontinent. The ash cloud entered western India over Rajasthan and Gujarat on Monday evening and is now moving across several northern states. Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab were impacted by the ash clouds on Tuesday, and it is expected to further affect the Himalayas and other regions.
Videos of the Hayli Gubbi volcano and the massive ash plume erupting from it have gone viral on social media, showing thick black ash rising high into the sky. Other videos capture people running in panic as the rumbling and falling ash shake the surrounding area. In a video shared on X by users, viewers can see the barren desert floor, dark volcanic slopes, and a towering column of ash soaring skyward. What makes this event interesting is that the remote region hasn’t witnessed volcanic activity like this in thousands of years, creating a powerful and hauntingly beautiful scene.
Watch the video here:
⚠️ Ethiopia: The Hayli Gobi volcano erupted today for the first time in ten thousand years and sent ash up to a height of 15 km.🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/aiPVhhO4rr
---Advertisement---— Dr. Fundji Benedict (@Fundji3) November 24, 2025
🔴 Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano ERUPTS after 10,000 years!
— TridentX ᴵⁿᵗᵉˡ (@TridentxIN) November 25, 2025
A massive 15 km ash plume is drifting across the region toward Yemen & Oman… and now headed towards North India .
Multiple flights impacted, Govt issues advisory to airlines for potential flight hazards.… pic.twitter.com/NmRTD9Uono
Disclaimer: While videos of the Hayli Gubbi volcano eruption from Ethiopia have gone viral on social media, News24 has not independently verified the authenticity of these claims or visuals. Viewer discretion is advised.
DGCA Advisory
In view of the drifting ash clouds, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a safety advisory to all airlines, directing them to avoid altitudes and regions affected by volcanic ash. The regulator cautioned carriers to exercise heightened vigilance and adjust flight paths as necessary to ensure passenger and crew safety. The DGCA said a Volcanic Ash Advisory and an ASHTAM have already been issued by the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre and the Airports Authority of India, and asked operators to avoid all affected regions and altitudes.
Ash cloud reaches Delhi, Flights cancelled
Meanwhile, several international flights from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminal 3) to destinations including Hong Kong, Dubai, Jeddah, Helsinki, Kabul, and Frankfurt have been delayed and cancelled due to the volcanic ash cloud.
Akasa Air has cancelled its international flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi for November 25. The airline stated that the ash has created unsafe flying conditions across affected routes. “Following recent volcanic activity in Ethiopia and the resulting ash plume in the surrounding airspace, our flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi scheduled for 24th and 25th November 2025 have been cancelled,” an Akasa Air spokesperson said, as reported by ANI.
