Ethiopian Volcanic Mountain Blasts for Initial Instance in Twelve Millennia
A volcano in north-eastern Ethiopia has erupted for the initial occasion in nearly 12,000 years, propelling dense plumes of smoke as high as 9 miles (14km) into the sky, according to volcanological monitoring centers.
The Hayli Gubbi, located in Ethiopia’s Afar region about 500 miles northeast of Addis Ababa near the Eritrean border, erupted on Sunday for several hours.
This volcanic structure, which rises about 500 metres in altitude, sits within the Great Rift Valley, a zone of significant tectonic movement where two continental plates meet.
Ash clouds from the blast traveled over Yemen, Oman's airspace, India and northern Pakistan, observation agencies stated.
A satellite image showing ash from the Hayli Gubbi eruption in the country.
In videos shared on social media, a thick plume of white smoke could be seen ascending, though confirmation was pending.
Global volcanism programs stated that Hayli Gubbi has had no known eruptions during the Holocene epoch, which started about 12,000 years ago at the end of the most recent glacial period.
A volcanic expert affirmed on a social platform that this volcano “has no record of eruptions in the Holocene”.
Local authorities have not yet issued a statement regarding potential casualties or the number of evacuees.
