Eyewitnesses recount moment of Ethiopian volcano eruption: ‘It felt like a sudden bomb’

After being dormant for 10,000 years, a volcano erupted in Ethiopia, sending shockwaves to the nearby areas. The Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted on Sunday morning in the Afar region of Ethiopia. The eruption left Afdera, a neighbouring village in the area covered under dust. 

Eyewitnesses recalled the moment, calling that it felt like a ‘sudden bomb was thrown thrown with smoke and ash’. Mohammed Seid, a local administrator, stated that there were no casualities but informed that there might have been economic implications. 

“While no human lives and livestock have been lost so far, many villages have been covered in ash and as a result their animals have little to eat,” Seid said as quoted by news agency AP.

Meanwhile, resident of the Afar region, Ahmed Abdela, recounted the moment of eruption. “It felt like a sudden bomb had been thrown with smoke and ash,” he said.

Flights cancelled, skies darkened

The ash has darkened the skies and forced airlines to divert or cancel several flights. The AQI in many parts of Delhi has spiked above 400, with a layer of toxic smog settling over the city. Visibility dropped noticeably around Anand Vihar, AIIMS and Safdarjung. 

IndiaMetSky Weather had earlier warned that the ash plume could make the sky appear unusually dark and hazy, and that it might disrupt air traffic, leading to delays and longer travel times.

Because of the volcanic ash, multiple flights operated by Akasa Air, IndiGo, Air India and several international carriers had to be diverted, while some were cancelled altogether due to the hazardous conditions at higher altitudes.

“Following recent volcanic activity in Ethiopia and the resulting ash plume in the surrounding airspace, our flights to and from Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi scheduled for 24th and 25th November 2025 have been cancelled,” Akasa Air said in a statement.