Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in the Afar region near the Eritrean border, erupted on Sunday, November 23, 2025, marking its first known eruption in nearly 12,000 years. The eruption sent thick ash plumes soaring up to 14 kilometers (9 miles) into the sky, drifting across the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman.
Local official Mohammed Seid reported no casualties but expressed concern for the livelihoods of residents in nearby villages. “While no human lives or livestock have been lost so far, many villages have been covered in ash, leaving animals with limited food,” he said. The volcano, rising approximately 500 meters, sits in the tectonically active Rift Valley, where two plates converge.
Ash clouds from the eruption were reported to drift over Yemen, Oman, India, and northern Pakistan, according to the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC). Afar residents described loud explosions and shock waves, with videos circulating on social media showing a towering column of white smoke, though these have not been independently verified.
The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program confirmed that Hayli Gubbi has no recorded eruptions during the Holocene, which began around 12,000 years ago. Michigan Technological University volcanologist Simon Carn noted the volcano “has no record of Holocene eruptions.”
Authorities in the Afar region have not reported any casualties. Meteorologists expect the ash plumes to continue moving eastward, posing potential disruptions to aviation. In India, Air India cancelled several domestic and international flights to conduct precautionary checks on aircraft that had flown over areas affected by the volcanic ash. Delhi, currently experiencing heavy air pollution, is not expected to be significantly affected, as the ash is drifting at higher altitudes, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The Hayli Gubbi eruption highlights the ongoing geological volatility of the Rift Valley region and raises concerns for local communities dependent on livestock and agriculture.
