Long-Dormant Volcano Erupts in Northern Ethiopia

A long-dormant volcano in northern Ethiopia erupted over the weekend, sending ash plumes across the Red Sea towards Yemen and Oman. The Hayli Gubbi volcano in the Afar region of Ethiopia erupted on Sunday morning, covering the neighboring village of Afdera in dust. Local administrator Mohammed Seid reported no casualties, but the eruption could have economic implications for the local community of livestock herders. The Afar region is earthquake-prone, and resident Ahmed Abdela described hearing a loud sound and a shock wave, likening it to a sudden bomb with smoke and ash. The village near the Danakil desert, a tourist attraction, remained covered in ash on Monday, leaving tourists and guides heading to the desert stranded in the village, as reported by Abdela. Local authorities shared photos and videos of a towering ash plume rising from the volcano.