In a rare geological event, the Hayli Gubbi volcano in northeastern Ethiopia has erupted for the first time in approximately 12,000 years. The eruption, confirmed by the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program, marks a significant geological occurrence in the region.
Hayli Gubbi is situated in the Afar region, roughly 800 kilometers northeast of the capital, Addis Ababa, near the Eritrean border. This area is part of the East African Rift Valley, a zone known for its intense volcanic activity resulting from the collision of tectonic plates.
According to the Global Volcanism Program, the volcano has been dormant since the Holocene epoch, which began at the end of the last glacial period around 12,000 years ago. Simon Carn, a volcanologist at the University of Michigan, corroborated this, stating that no volcanic activity had been recorded at Hayli Gubbi during this extensive period.
The Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre reported that the eruption propelled substantial plumes of smoke and ash as high as 14 kilometers into the atmosphere. This activity persisted for several hours before gradually subsiding. Some of the volcanic ash drifted across Yemen, Oman, India, and northern Pakistan, potentially impacting air travel and local communities.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano itself stands approximately 500 meters tall. This eruption presents a unique opportunity for scientists to study volcanic processes and their environmental impact. While the immediate effects of the ash cloud are being monitored, the long-term consequences of this geological event are yet to be fully understood.
DZWatch will continue to provide updates on this developing situation as further information becomes available. The eruption underscores the dynamic nature of our planet and the ongoing geological processes that shape our world.
