25/11/2025
On 23 November 2025, Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano — silent for more than 12000 years — roared back to life. The eruption sent an ash and gas plume soaring up to 14 km (45,000 ft) into the sky. 
That ash cloud didn’t just hover over Ethiopia — it drifted across the Red Sea, flew over Yemen and Oman, and eventually reached India, including Delhi NCR.
Because of the ash cloud, India’s DGCA (aviation regulator) issued urgent safety advisories. Pilots were warned to avoid affected altitudes, reroute, revise fuel plans, and report any strange engine behavior. 
• Several airlines cancelled or diverted flights:
• Air India cancelled multiple international and domestic flights as a precaution. 
• Akasa Air cancelled flights to/from Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi. 
• IndiGo diverted at least one flight (to Abu Dhabi) to Ahmedabad.
Impact on Delhi’s Air Quality
• The ash cloud is very high up — between 25,000 and 45,000 ft, according to meteorologists. 
• Because of this height, experts believe ground-level impact on AQI (air quality index) will be limited. 
• Still, the ash contains microscopic rock and glass particles, plus sulphur dioxide (SO₂). These can irritate lungs, especially for people with asthma, bronchitis, or other respiratory issues. 
• There might also be some optical effects: unusual sunrises, hazy skies, and a weak “cloud-like” layer at high altitudes that slightly warms nighttime temperatures.
