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Thu, Dec 11, 2025 | Jumada al-Thani 20, 1447 | Fajr 05:31 | DXB 
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Saudi Arabia monitoring air after volcanic ash spreads to region
A volcano in Ethiopia's northeastern region erupted, sending thick plumes of smoke up to 14 kilometres into the sky
[Editor's Note: Follow the Khaleej Times live blog for the latest updates on the effects of the Hayli Gubbi volcano eruption in Ethiopia]
Saudi Arabia has said it is monitoring its atmosphere and air quality after a volcano erupted in Ethiopia, the first time in 12,000 years.
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The Kingdom's meteorology centre stated so far, there has been no direct impact from the emitted volcanic ash on the country's atmosphere.
A volcano in Ethiopia's northeastern region erupted, sending thick plumes of smoke up to 14 kilometres into the sky, the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) said.
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Ash clouds from the volcano drifted over Yemen, Oman, India, and northern Pakistan.
The Oman Environment Authority earlier in the day issued an advisory about gas and ash emissions from the Hayli Gubbi volcano, noting potential impact on air quality in the Sultanate. The authority confirmed that, so far, monitoring stations have not detected any rise in pollutant levels.
Through 68 monitoring stations distributed across Oman, including 8 stations in Dhofar and 5 in Al Wusta, the environment authority is conducting continuous, round-the-clock tracking of pollutant concentrations.
Meanwhile, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued a safety advisory to all airlines after volcanic ash eruption drifted across parts of the Middle East, affecting routes that pass through the Muscat Flight Information Region.
An Abu-Dhabi bound Indigo flight was diverted on Monday to Ahmedabad, due to volcanic ash from the eruption.
The DGCA said a Volcanic Ash Advisory and an ASHTAM have already been issued by the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre and the Airports Authority of India, and asked operators to avoid all affected regions and altitudes.
In its advisory, airlines have been instructed to review their operational manuals on volcanic ash procedures and brief cockpit and cabin crew accordingly. Airlines have also been instructed to adjust flight planning and routing based on the latest advisories, monitor NOTAM and meteorological updates, and immediately report any suspected ash encounter, including engine fluctuations or cabin odour.
The regulator said operators must modify dispatch procedures as required and conduct post-flight inspections for aircraft that fly over ash-affected zones.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in Ethiopia's Afar region about 800 kilometres northeast of Addis Ababa near the Eritrean border, erupted on Sunday for several hours.
The volcano, which rises about 500 metres in altitude, sits within the Rift Valley, a zone of intense geological activity where two tectonic plates meet.
The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program said Hayli Gubbi has had no known eruptions during the Holocene, which began around 12,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age.
Inputs from AFP
Laraib Anwer
Laraib Anwer is a Digital Journalist who loves the thrill of breaking headlines almost as much as she does unapologetically using GenZ slang. She dreams of a world free of animal cruelty and hopes to tell community stories that make a difference.
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