Following a rare volcanic eruption in Ethiopia after 12,000 years, the ash cloud may affect flights from several regions, including the coastal areas of the Arabian Sea.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued an alert stating that the ash cloud is drifting toward the Arabian Sea region; however, the department clarified that it does not pose any threat to Karachi apart from possible hazards to aircraft at high altitudes.
The ash originated from the Hayli Gubbi volcano in northeastern Ethiopia, which erupted on Sunday for the first time in nearly 12,000 years.
The massive blast sent thick plumes of smoke high into the atmosphere, darkening parts of the surrounding region before the cloud moved across Yemen and Oman and continued toward southern Pakistan.
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The PMD has issued an aviation watch, noting that domestic flights usually operate around 35,000 feet while international flights travel between 40,000 and 45,000 feet, altitudes where volcanic ash can cause serious engine problems.
Officials said they are keeping a close eye on the cloud’s movement to ensure the safety of flight operations.
According to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC), the ash plume rose to extremely high levels, drifting over airspace above southern Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and Pakistan’s coastal belt.
Despite this, the PMD stressed that Karachi is unlikely to be affected.
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A department spokesperson said, “Projections indicate the ash will mostly drift over the deep Arabian Sea, Oman, and the Mumbai flight region at around 50,000 feet.”
BREAKING: Significant Eruption Reported in Afar, Ethiopia 🌋
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) November 23, 2025
Urgent reports this morning indicate a significant volcanic explosion in the Afar region, either at Ali Bagu (Amaytole) or possibly Erta Ale itself. Early information suggests the eruption may be located between… pic.twitter.com/ChwmyT9vDZ
Earlier, the ash cloud was detected about 60 nautical miles south of Gwadar, prompting an alert to the concerned aviation authorities.
PMD spokesperson Anjum Nazeer Zaighum added that the ash would stay well offshore while passing over the Arabian Sea.
People living in Ethiopia’s Afar region described the eruption as extremely violent.
A resident told The Addis Standard that the blast occurred roughly eight kilometres from the main mountain of the volcano.
Afar TV reported that the explosion was stronger and louder than anything locals had ever experienced, with tremors and noise felt in Djibouti, Tigray and several towns in the Wollo area.
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Flight-tracking website FlightRadar showed the cloud moving toward the Arabian Peninsula and the Arabian Sea early in the morning, while VAAC’s interactive maps suggest it could pass over parts of southern Sindh before drifting toward India.
Pakistan is positioned directly along the cloud’s projected route, with arrival estimates is roughly 18 hours.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located about 800 kilometres northeast of Addis Ababa near the Eritrean border, erupted for several hours.
The site lies within the tectonically active Rift Valley, where two major plates meet.
The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Programme noted that no eruptions from Hayli Gubbi have been recorded during the Holocene era.
Volcanologist Simon Carn supported this, saying the volcano “has no record of Holocene eruptions.”
Authorities will continue to monitor the ash cloud to safeguard aviation and coastal areas as it moves along its predicted path.
