Ethiopian volcano eruption sends ash to Delhi hitting flight operations

A plume of volcanic ash from Ethiopia has swept across the Red Sea through Oman and Yemen and reached the Indian capital Delhi.

The eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia – reported to be dormant for several thousand years – began on Sunday morning, sending an ash column thousands of feet into the atmosphere.

Several international and domestic flights have been cancelled, delayed or rerouted in India because of the ash, with the country’s aviation regulator asking airlines to “strictly avoid” affected areas.

The level of ash contamination is unclear, experts said, but it is unlikely to affect Delhi’s air quality, which was “very poor” as per official readings on Tuesday.