New Delhi: Ash clouds from a volcanic eruption in Ethiopia reached parts of India on Tuesday, disrupting air traffic but leaving local weather and air quality unchanged, according to government agencies. The India Meteorological Department said the plumes, which drifted into Indian airspace during the day, were expected to move towards China and clear the region by 7.30 pm. The civil aviation ministry said some flights were cancelled and many others delayed as air traffic controllers and airlines responded to the changing conditions. Air India confirmed that 13 flights, including international services, were cancelled after aircraft that had flown through affected corridors were sent for inspection.
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology at the IMD, said the ash was confined to higher altitudes. “The volcanic ash is being seen only in the upper troposphere and it is affecting flight operations. It has no impact on air quality or weather. The ash cloud is drifting towards China and will move away from Indian skies by 7.30 pm,” he said. According to the agency, volcanic ash was observed over Gujarat, Delhi NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana.
The disturbance originated from the eruption of the Hayli Gubbi shield volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region on Sunday. The eruption generated a plume that rose to nearly 14 kilometres, or about 45,000 feet, before spreading across the Red Sea towards the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent.
An IMD statement said high winds transported the plume across Yemen and Oman before it advanced over the Arabian Sea. The agency tracked the movement using satellite imagery, Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre bulletins and dispersion models. Its Met watch offices in Mumbai, New Delhi and Kolkata issued ICAO level SIGMET warnings that directed aircraft to avoid affected airspace and designated flight levels. Continuous monitoring supported flight planning, route changes and fuel assessments, the IMD said.