Nature can both amaze and alarm us. An ash cloud from Ethiopia reminded India that nature can travel thousands of kilometres in just a few hours. A volcanic eruption in Ethiopia created a huge cloud of ash, and strong winds pushed it all the way to India. When the ash passed over Indian states, the skies turned hazy, and some flights were diverted or cancelled for safety. Keep reading for more details.
Ash Cloud From Ethiopian Volcano Reaches India
On Monday night, a massive plume of volcanic ash from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano crossed into Northwest India. What came as a shock was that the volcano erupted for the first time in almost 12,000 years, sending a high-altitude cloud racing across continents. The ash moved at nearly 100–120 km/hour and entered India through Rajasthan around 6:30 PM, then diverted to Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR and Punjab, reported Hindustan Times.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cloud travelled above 10 km in the atmosphere. Due to this height, it is believed that Delhi’s air quality won’t be significantly affected. It may only make the sky look hazy or dim for a few hours.
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Big Impact On Air Travel
The ash cloud from the Ethiopian volcano has severely affected aviation. Both Akasa Air and IndiGo had to cancel or divert many of their flights because of the volcanic ash cloud. According to Hindustan Times, Akasa Air specifically stopped its flights going to and coming from Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi on November 24 and 25. IndiGo faced problems, but didn’t reveal how many flights were affected. Air India also cancelled several flights after the Ethiopian volcano eruption. The airline said it is doing precautionary checks on aircraft that flew over affected areas.
Air India Express said volcanic ash from the Ethiopia eruption has spread over parts of the Arabian Peninsula and may affect flights passing through the region. The airline added that its safety teams are working with authorities and tracking the situation. Passengers travelling to or from Dubai should check their flight status.
As soon as the ash cloud moved over the Red Sea and towards the Middle East and South Asia, airlines immediately started changing their routes.
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Cover Image Courtesy: X/ @Fundji3 & Wikimedia Commons/ Md Shaifuzzaman Ayon