Volcanic Ash From Ethiopia Drifts Toward Delhi: Will It Affect Air Quality?

A plume of volcanic ash from an eruption in Ethiopia drifted over Delhi around 11 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 24, forming a thin and hazy layer across several parts of the national capital. The ash originated from the Hayli Gubbi volcano, which erupted on Sunday, Nov. 23, for the first time in nearly 12,000 years. Over the past day, the plume travelled at altitudes above 10 km, crossing the Red Sea and the Middle East before reaching northwest India.

According to reports, it passed over Rajasthan at about 6.30 p.m. on Nov. 24 and moved across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR and Punjab later in the night.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the ash cloud did reach Delhi, but was too high to impact pollution levels. The IMD said the altitude, above 10 km, meant that air in an already pollution-strained city would "not be significantly affected." The impact on Indian cities was likely to last only a few hours as the plume continued moving eastwards, according to a Hindustan Times report.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the main visible outcome would be hazy skies and a slight increase in temperature. "It began to affect Gujarat and Rajasthan from Monday evening and is likely to affect parts of Delhi-NCR by late Monday night or in the early hours of Tuesday," HT quoted Mohapatra as saying.

Meanwhile, air quality in Delhi plunged to the 'very poor' category with the AQI reaching 362 at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) data.

The windborne volcanic ash reportedly affected visibility and briefly disrupted flight operations in parts of northwest India. IndiGo, Akasa Air and Air India issued travel advisories as conditions evolved.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday also issued an advisory asking airlines and airports to remain prepared for possible disruptions in flight operations due to the ash plumes. Airports expected to come in contact with the ash were instructed to check runways for contamination and suspend operations if necessary.

Hayli Gubbi, which rose nearly 500 metres during the eruption, lies in Ethiopia’s Rift Valley, a highly active geological zone positioned on the boundary of two shifting tectonic plates. The volcano is just 15 km from Erta Ale, one of the world’s most active volcanoes with a long-lasting lava lake. Situated in the Danakil Depression, which is one of the hottest and most inaccessible places on Earth, Hayli Gubbi has limited scientific documentation, making the sudden eruption highly unusual. The region is sparsely populated and difficult to access.

Satellite imagery has revealed massive ash clouds and high levels of sulphur dioxide, indicating the scale of the activity.

As per the IMD forecast at 8.40 p.m. on Nov. 24, minimum temperatures in Delhi would remain below normal for the next three days. The weather agency has predicted shallow to moderate fog conditions in morning hours in parts of Delhi between Nov. 25 and 28.