Air travel in India was disrupted on Tuesday as authorities conducted a regulatory probe following the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia.
- The explosion sent a large cloud of ash into the air which spread over several countries.
- Many flights in India were canceled due to the explosion
- Ash clouds are expected to clear from Indian skies later on Tuesday
What do we know about the Ethiopian volcanic eruption?
The long-dormant Hayli Gub volcano, located in the Afar region near the Eritrean border, erupted on Sunday for the first time in nearly 12,000 years.
Social media and satellite photos captured the activity as the volcano blasted ash up to 14 kilometers (9 miles) into the air, according to media reports.
The Volcanic Ash Advisory Center said the ash cloud then moved across the Red Sea towards Yemen, Oman, Pakistan and northern India.
On Tuesday, the regional government in Afar posted on Facebook that people suffering from asthma and bronchitis should take necessary precautions to avoid health complications.
A local administrator, Mohammed Saeed, earlier told The Associated Press that there were no casualties, but the explosion could have an economic impact on the local farming community.
What was the impact on travel in India?
India’s flag carrier, Air India, said it canceled 11 flights on Monday and Tuesday, following India’s aviation regulator directing airlines to conduct precautionary checks of planes flying to certain locations after the blast.
Budget carrier Akasa said it had canceled scheduled flights to Middle East destinations such as Jeddah, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi over the course of two days.
The ash covered parts of Pakistan and northern India on Tuesday after crossing Yemen and Oman, according to tracking website Flightradar24.
The India Meteorological Department said in a statement that the ash cloud is moving towards China and Indian skies are expected to clear by 1400 GMT on Tuesday.
Edited by: Shawn Sinico