Volcanic ash cloud from Ethiopia forces flight cancellations in India – Will it worsen Delhi’s AQI?

A massive volcanic ash cloud reached India from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano, which erupted for the first time in nearly 12,000 years. The rare event has resulted in reduced visibility, forcing several airlines to cancel flights in major cities on Tuesday (Nov 25). The ash cloud swept across the northwest states in the country last night, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR and Punjab. It is headed eastwards across the subcontinent to China.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Monday issued an advisory, warning airlines and airports of possible disruptions in flight operations as the authorities track the cloud moving across the region. Major airlines, including IndiGo, Akasa Air, and Dutch carrier KLM, cancelled some flights due to the ash plumes. Several international flights were also cancelled at the Delhi Airport for destinations including Hong Kong, Dubai, Jeddah, Helsinki, Kabul and Frankfurt.

A day earlier, IndiGo flight 6E 1433 from Kannur to Abu Dhabi was diverted to Ahmedabad due to the ash plume. IndiGo said that the Airbus plane landed safely, and it will arrange a return flight for passengers to Kannur.

Will the AQI be affected?

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cloud is at an altitude above 10 km. Delhi, which is already facing a severe pollution issue, will not be impacted significantly as the cloud is located way upwards from the ground. The cloud is also moving rapidly eastwards, limiting the time it would affect the air quality in the region.

On Sunday (Nov 23), Hayli Gubbi, a long-dormant volcano in northern Ethiopia, erupted, sending ash plumes across the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman. The cloud then moved toward North India at a speed of 100-120 kmh.

The ash cloud is expected to clear from Indian skies by around 7:30 pm on Tuesday as it continues to move eastward to China.