It hasn’t happened in ten thousand years. Here’s what occurred in Ethiopia

According to the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) in Toulouse, the eruption lasted about four hours—from 8:30 a.m. to noon UTC. During the eruption, the ash plume rose to an altitude of approximately 13.7 kilometers, drifting toward Yemen and Oman, posing potential risks to local populations and international air travel.

Experts noted that the Hayli-Gubbi volcano is located in the Afar Rift, one of East Africa’s most active volcanic zones. Satellite data confirmed a significant release of sulfur dioxide, raising additional concerns among environmental specialists.

At present, volcanic activity has ceased, but the consequences may still affect regional ecology and air traffic.

This eruption represents an exceptionally rare natural event, as the volcano had shown no activity throughout the entire Holocene period—over 10,000 years.

The region has recently seen a rise in volcanic activity: last week, Indonesia’s Semeru volcano erupted powerfully, and in early October, a volcano in Kamchatka sent ash plumes nearly 10 kilometers high.