Pakistan’s atmosphere has now become “almost clear” of the vast volcanic ash plume that swept across the region earlier this week, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). The ash cloud originated from a powerful eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia, which sent a column of ash soaring nearly 45,000 feet into the sky. PMD spokesperson Anjum Nazeer Zaigham confirmed on Tuesday that while the ash had drifted over parts of Pakistan for several hours, it has since moved eastward and is currently lingering over sections of India.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in Ethiopia’s Afar region approximately 800 kilometres northeast of Addis Ababa and close to the Eritrean border, erupted after thousands of years of dormancy. Local media and geologists called it one of the most dramatic volcanic events recorded in the region’s recent history. The force of the explosion triggered tremors felt as far away as Djibouti and temporarily plunged nearby communities into darkness as ash blanketed the surroundings.
In the hours following the eruption, the ash plume drifted across the Red Sea and began affecting some of the busiest international air routes. By Monday, it had spread across Yemen and Oman and shifted toward Pakistan and India, forcing numerous airlines to cancel flights or take lengthy detours to avoid the dangerous cloud.
Zaigham stated that Pakistan first detected the plume around 10am on Monday, approximately 60 nautical miles south of Gwadar. The ash remained over Pakistan’s airspace for nearly 18 to 20 hours before continuing its eastward movement. As a precaution, the Met Office issued its first-ever volcanic ash advisory for the aviation sector — a significant milestone in Pakistan’s meteorological history. In total, three advisories were issued to alert airlines and pilots of potential hazards.
According to the PMD, the ash plume posed no environmental threat to Pakistan. “It was too high,” Zaigham explained, noting that the plume was moving at altitudes above 45,000 feet with wind speeds of 15 to 20 kilometres per hour. He further clarified that the country would only have experienced environmental effects if such an eruption had occurred much closer to Pakistan’s borders.
Ash Cloud’s Movement Over India
Across the border, India continued to monitor the plume’s progress as it moved across western and northern regions. Reports from NDTV indicated that analysis by India Met Sky Weather showed the ash gradually dispersing into the upper atmosphere over China and the Pacific. Environmentalist Vimlendu described the cloud as “floating around” above Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Delhi.
India’s Meteorological Department (IMD) chief, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, stated that the ash was expected to drift out of India’s airspace and move toward China by around 7pm on Tuesday. Nevertheless, the situation caused considerable disruption to air travel. Numerous flights were cancelled or diverted as a safety precaution, with airlines closely tracking the ash plume’s position.
The Hindustan Times reported that Indian carrier IndiGo cancelled six flights on Monday, including routes from Mumbai and southern India, while another flight from Kannur to Abu Dhabi had to be diverted to Ahmedabad. Because Pakistani airspace was closed to Indian carriers amid the plume’s movement, rerouting became even more challenging for airlines operating in the region.
A Mumbai airport official noted that the airspace restrictions over Pakistan were causing significant operational difficulties for Indian airlines. “We have started keeping a record of this and are monitoring the situation,” the official added.
While the immediate threat posed by the volcanic ash cloud appears to be receding, aviation authorities in both Pakistan and India continue to observe the plume’s trajectory. The rare event has underscored the far-reaching impact of volcanic eruptions, especially those occurring along major international flight corridors. It has also highlighted the importance of sophisticated monitoring systems and inter-country coordination in managing aviation risks.
As the ash plume disperses into the upper layers of the atmosphere, operations across the affected countries are expected to normalize, though airlines may take additional time to fully resume regular flight schedules. For now, meteorological agencies in the region remain on alert, prepared to issue further updates if the situation changes.
