A massive ash plume from Hayli Gubbi in Ethiopia soared up to 14 km into the atmosphere and drifted across the Red Sea and Arabian Sea before reaching Indian airspace, affecting regions including Gujarat, Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) observed that because the ash cloud remained high in the upper troposphere, it posed minimal risk to surface-level air quality, though it caused significant disruption for aviation.
The ash adversely affected flights, with multiple carriers cancelling or rerouting routes under advisories from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).However, according to IMD, the plume is now drifting eastwards, expected to have exited Indian skies by around 7:30 pm on Tuesday, clearing the airspace over Delhi, North and West India.
Experts caution that while the ash’s passage may not drastically worsen air-quality metrics at ground level, vulnerable groups, such as people with asthma, elderly or pre-existing respiratory conditions, should remain cautious until air clears fully.
With the ash cloud moving toward China, the immediate threat is over, though authorities continue monitoring airspace and pollution levels until skies stabilise. Read on for ongoing safety and travel updates.
