A volcanic peak in northeastern the Ethiopian region has exploded for the first time in approximately 12,000 years, sending thick columns of ash up to 9 miles (14km) into the sky, according to volcanic observers.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano, situated in Ethiopia’s Afar region about 500 miles northeast of Addis Ababa near the Eritrean border, erupted on Sunday for a number of hours.
This volcano, which rises about 500 metres in altitude, sits within the Great Rift Valley, a zone of intense geological activity where two continental plates converge.
Ash clouds from the eruption traveled over the nation of Yemen, Oman, the Indian subcontinent and northern Pakistan, monitoring agencies indicated.
A satellite image depicting ash from the Hayli Gubbi eruption in the country.
In videos shared on social media, a thick plume of white smoke could be observed rising, though confirmation was pending.
Global volcanism databases noted that the volcano has had no recorded eruptions during the Holocene epoch, which started about 12,000 years ago at the conclusion of the last ice age.
A volcanologist confirmed on a social platform that this volcano “has no record of eruptions in the Holocene”.
Local officials have yet to responded regarding possible injuries or the number of displaced people.
