Delhi’s already grim air quality took another worrying turn this week as news broke that a massive volcanic ash plume from Ethiopia had drifted across North India. With the city’s air quality index (AQI) hitting 435 (severe) on Tuesday morning, it was feared the volcanic ash would further damage air quality. However, meteorologists stressed that while the phenomenon was unusual, it posed no direct danger at ground level. What suffered was flight operations. Here's what happened.
What’s this volcanic eruption?
The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia erupted on Sunday (November 23), sending a huge column of sulphur dioxide-heavy ash nearly 14 km into the atmosphere. The eruption, located in the Afar rift zone, marked its first eruption in almost 12,000 years. While the volcano did not spew molten hot lava, the nearby village of Afdera was blanketed in ash. Authorities later confirmed that residents were evacuated safely.
How does a volcanic eruption in Ethiopia impact India?
Once the plume formed, strong upper-level winds carried it away from the site of the eruption. As it continued to rise and stretch across the region, satellite and meteorological trackers began noting its movement towards the Arabian Peninsula and, subsequently, India.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the plume travelled a long route before entering Indian skies—from Ethiopia towards Yemen and Oman before advancing over the Arabian Sea. By Monday evening, it had reached the Gujarat-Rajasthan belt, and, by midnight, it was positioned over Delhi and other parts of North India. By Tuesday evening, it had begun drifting further eastwards towards China.
IndiaMetSky, which monitors regional weather developments, reported on November 24 that the ash cloud was moving at approximately 100-120 km/hr in the upper atmosphere—first towards western India, then sweeping across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand and eventually the Himalayan foothills. The ash mass was located far above the surface between 25,000 and 45,000 feet.
Did it disrupt flights?
Since the ash stayed at cruising altitude for aircraft, the primary disruptions were among airlines, some of which had to cancel or adjust flights.
Air India cancelled at least 13 flights across two days as a precaution, including long-haul international flights. Checks were initiated on aircraft that had flown through regions influenced by the plume. Akasa Air, meanwhile, cancelled all flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi scheduled for November 24 and 25.
Did the volcanic ask worsen Delhi’s pollution?
Despite the alarming visuals and Delhi’s already toxic air, IMD said the ash cloud did not worsen the city’s pollution levels. IndiaMetSky also stated that there was no expected impact on surface AQI, though the skies could appear darker or hazier than usual. They noted that only a very small chance of ash deposits existed, mainly in pockets over Rajasthan, but this was considered unlikely.
Where is the plume now?
By the evening of November 25, weather trackers confirmed that the ash cloud had already moved away from North India. IndiaMetSky’s final update stated that the ash had dispersed into the upper atmosphere and was being carried eastwards by the subtropical jet stream. Fine particles may linger at high altitudes for a few days, potentially contributing to slightly more colourful sunrises and sunsets in regions under its path.
But Delhi’s pollution remains a problem
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality is expected to remain in the ‘very poor’ category from November 26 to 28, with forecasts indicating potential dips into ‘severe’ levels thereafter.
Despite emergency measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), pollution levels remain high.
