The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region has erupted for the first time in an estimated 12,000 years. This sudden occurrence shocked local residents as well as professionals. This highly unusual occurrence produced expansive smoke columns that reached heights of 9 miles (14 kilometers) above the surface. The clouds spread across the Red Sea, affecting regions hundreds of kilometers to the southeast, including Yemen, Oman, and even India and northern Pakistan.
Located inside the geological Rift Valley, the Hayli Gubbi volcano towers some 500 meters in height. The adjacent Rift Valley is one of the most seismically active areas in the world because here runs the boundary between two tectonic plates that are pulling apart. Before the explosion, an ear-splitting crack preceded the detonation. Residents in the path described hearing a sonic boom, marking the start of seismic activity brewing far below Earth’s surface.
Volcanologist Simon Carn, from Michigan Technological University, confirmed that Hayli Gubbi has no record of Holocene eruptions. These facts are what make the current eruption so amazing. Local government councilor Mohammed Seid said that even though this eruption is significant, there have not been any deaths. What he feared most, he said, was destabilization of local livestock herders’ livelihoods.
“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,” – Mohammed Seid
Yet the eruption has raised concerns about the possible economic impact on the local community, both in the short- and long-term. To make matters worse, the Afar region in which the volcano lies is already seismically active. Now, in the wake of the emergency, residents are staring down problems as ash continues to cover their homes and agricultural fields.
The large ash fallout threatens crops and infrastructure in the immediate area, as well as livestock. Scientists are keeping a close eye on the situation to evaluate additional volcanic activity and how it can impact nearby ecosystems.
“It felt like a sudden bomb had been thrown with smoke and ash.”
The significant ash fallout poses threats not only to livestock but also to crops and local infrastructure. Experts are monitoring the situation closely to assess any further volcanic activity and its potential effects on surrounding environments.