ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – A previously unrecorded eruption from the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region began Sunday, sending ash plumes drifting across the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman. The eruption has blanketed nearby communities in ash, disrupting travel and raising concerns for local livelihoods.
The long-dormant volcano’s eruption poses immediate challenges for residents of the Afar region, a sparsely populated area reliant on livestock herding. While no casualties have been reported, extensive ashfall is impacting grazing lands and potentially threatening food security. The event also disrupts tourism to the nearby Danakil Desert, a popular destination for adventure travelers. authorities are monitoring the situation and assessing the long-term impact.Local administrator Mohammed Seid reported no prior record of eruptions from Hayli Gubbi, expressing worry over the economic consequences for the region.”While no human lives and livestock have been lost so far, many villages have been covered in ash and as a result their animals have little to eat,” Seid told The Associated Press.
The Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in France confirmed the eruption through satellite imagery. Resident Ahmed Abdela described the event as a powerful shock, stating, “it felt like a sudden bomb had been thrown with smoke and ash.”
As of Monday, the village of Afdera remained covered in ash, stranding tourists and guides en route to the Danakil Desert. Local authorities have released images and videos showing the important ash plume rising from the volcano. The Afar region is seismically active,and officials continue to monitor the situation for further developments.
