Ethiopian volcanic ash halts international flights as 7 cancelled, 12 delayed amid airspace disruption

New Delhi [India], November 25 (ANI): Seven international flights scheduled to operate between 1 am and 6 pm on Tuesday were cancelled after volcanic ash affected airspace conditions, as per sources.

Twelve other international flights during the same timeframe were also delayed as airlines modified operations in response to the ash-related disruption.

Both incoming and outgoing services were impacted, with carriers adjusting movements based on prevailing safety assessments.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), ash clouds from the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia are likely to clear India's skies by 7:30 pm on Tuesday, marking the expected end of the disturbances reported across parts of the country.

The plume, which moved across northwest India on Monday and briefly disrupted flights, has since begun shifting towards China.

The ash mass had initially entered Gujarat on Monday before spreading overnight across regions including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR, Haryana and Punjab.

The eruption originated from Hayli Gubbi, a shield volcano in Ethiopia's Afar region, which produced its first major activity in nearly 10,000 years and sent ash rising as high as 14 km.

The Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) reported that the explosive phase began around 8:30 am GMT, generating "a large ash plume moving toward northern India" even after the eruption eased.

Ash columns from the Afar region, approximately 800 km northeast of Addis Ababa near the Eritrean border, were carried across the Red Sea to Yemen and Oman by strong upper-level winds, eventually drifting over the Arabian Sea into western and northern India.

The IMD noted that the plume travelled along high-altitude wind currents that transported it "from Ethiopia across the Red Sea to Yemen and Oman and further over the Arabian Sea towards western and northern India," with satellite tools, VAAC bulletins and dispersion modelling aiding its monitoring.

A layer of haze settled over Delhi as the plume passed, pushing air quality into the very poor band and raising concerns among residents and authorities.

IMD's Met Watch Offices in Mumbai, New Delhi and Kolkata issued ICAO-standard SIGMET warnings, advising airports to avoid specific airspace segments and flight levels flagged by VAAC.

As the ash cloud advanced, flight operations across multiple regions experienced strain, prompting the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to circulate a detailed advisory on Monday.

Airlines such as IndiGo, Akasa Air and KLM revised their schedules while officials continued keeping track of the plume's progression. (ANI)

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