Hayli Gubbi Volcano Erupts in Ethiopia After 12,000 Years

For the first time in roughly 12,000 years, the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region has erupted. The long-dormant shield volcano erupted Sunday with a blast described as sounding like a bomb, sending thick plumes of ash high into the sky, potentially disrupting air traffic at international altitudes. Thankfully, there have been no reported casualties. It seems wise, considering its nickname ‘the Gateway to Hell,’ that people avoid living in the vicinity. This isn’t to be confused with the also infamous Gateway to Hell in Turkmenistan’s Karakum desert, a massive flaming hole that burned from 1971 until recently. The ash from the recent Ethiopian eruption has covered nearby grazing lands, complicating life in an already challenging region. Satellite imagery shows the ash plume drifting over the Red Sea, reaching Yemen, Oman, Pakistan, and India, leading to flight cancellations by Air India and warnings issued by Pakistan’s Meteorological Department.