A volcanic activity in Ethiopia has disrupted flight operations in India, with IndiGo diverting one of its international flights, considering passenger safety. The Abu Dhabi-bound flight from Kannur, Kerala, was diverted, and the flight landed at Ahmedabad.
"IndiGo 6E 1433 from Kannur to Abu Dhabi was diverted to Ahmedabad due to volcanic activity. The flight has now landed in Ahmedabad, and IndiGo will provide return service to Kannur," the airline said in a statement.
For the first time over 10,000 years, the Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in Ethiopia’s Afar region, erupted for several hours on Sunday. The volcanic eruption sent thick plumes of smoke into the sky. Located about 500 miles north-east of Addis Ababa near the Eritrean border, authorities are yet to report any casualties.
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According to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC), ash clouds rose about 500 metres in altitude, and ash clouds from the volcano drifted over Yemen, Oman, India and northern Pakistan, The Guardian reported. Videos shared on social media show a thick column of white smoke rising from the volcano.
The eruption is considered highly unusual due to the lack of historical activity, sparse geological studies in the area, and the region’s extreme and inhospitable conditions, which make research difficult, Tthe Economic Times reported.
