According to Gulf News, a large amount of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) was also released along with the explosion, which has increased concerns about the impact on the environment and health. India Met Sky Weather Alert said that this cloud of ash has entered India from Jodhpur-Jaisalmer and is now moving towards north-east.
Delhi is gasping due to pollution. But on the other hand, an incident that happened 4300 kilometers away from Delhi has forced the capital to suffer. The Haile Gubhi volcano, which had been sleeping for 12,000 years, suddenly erupted in the northern part of Ethiopia on Sunday. This incident is so rare that scientists are surprised. Ash covered the surrounding villages, but no accident occurred. But this ash has now started spreading in the sky of Delhi. But the question is why did this volcano erupt?
Why is there a threat looming over the sky of Delhi? At around 11 pm on Monday night, this ash also covered the sky of Delhi, 4300 km away from Ethiopia. India Met Sky Weather Alert said that this cloud of ash has entered India from Jodhpur-Jaisalmer and is now moving towards north-east. According to the Meteorological Department (IMD), this cloud of ash is continuously increasing in the east direction. Volcanic ash can travel thousands of kilometers away, so agencies of many countries are tracking it together.
According to Gulf News, a large amount of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) was also released along with the explosion, which has increased concerns about the impact on the environment and health. If a volcano is suddenly releasing more SO₂, it indicates that pressure inside is increasing, the magma is moving and further eruptions may occur.
Where and when did this volcano erupt? The Haly Gubhi volcano is located in the Afar region of Ethiopia, about 800 kilometers north-east of the capital Addis Ababa. This is a shield volcano, which erupted on Sunday. Due to the explosion, high lines of ash came out which covered the sky for several hours. Ash covered the neighboring village Afdera. According to France’s Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC), the ash dust rose up to 15 kilometers and spread across the Red Sea to Yemen, Oman, India and northern Pakistan.
The Haile Gubhi volcano, which had been sleeping for 12,000 years, suddenly erupted in the northern part of Ethiopia on Sunday. (Photo courtesy AP)
Experts’ opinion: Why did it explode after so many years? Ariana Soldati, a volcanologist at North Carolina State University, told Scientific American magazine, “As long as the conditions for magma formation persist, the volcano could erupt in 1,000 or even 10,000 years.” This area is in the East African Rift Zone, where the African and Arabian tectonic plates are moving apart at a rate of 0.4 to 0.6 inches per year. “It is very rare to see such a large ash plume of dust in this area,” Biggs added. Scientists say that this area is less studied. Heli Gubbi is part of the Afar Rift. This is an area where the tectonic plates of the earth are continuously shifting. Other volcanoes in the region, such as Erta Ale, are already continuously monitored. In such a situation, the sudden activity of Heli Gubbi raises questions about what deep changes are taking place in the magma inside the earth.
There was danger of eruption since July Scientists had already received signals. In July the nearby Erta Ale volcano erupted, shaking the ground beneath Hayli Gubhi. Magma penetrated 30 kilometers below. Biggs and his team saw white clouds and low ground at the summit. Earth scientist Derek Keir of Southampton University reached Ethiopia on Monday to collect ash samples. “These samples will reveal the type of magma and confirm that the volcano has indeed been dormant for 12,000 years,” Biggs said. “This incident shows how little-studied this area is,” Biggs said. Scientists will now trace the history of magma from ash samples. This eruption will shed new light on the volcanic activities of East Africa.
India Met Sky Weather Alert said that this cloud of ash has entered India from Jodhpur-Jaisalmer and is now moving towards north-east. (Photo courtesy AP)
Local officials said there were no accidents, but the impact of the ash could be severe on neighboring pastoral communities. The volcano is in a rift valley, where tectonic plates collide. Ash dust affected air travel. This eruption shows the geological activity of the area.
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