The eruption was not too devastating as such events go, but it did release an enormous plume of ash, which rode the subtropical jet stream and quickly expanded to cover parts of Yemen, Oman, India, and Pakistan. Air India announced it canceled at least 11 flights on Tuesday due to concerns over the cloud.
“The affected altitude is between 8.5 kilometers (5.2 miles) and 15 kilometers above the sea level,” said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD). “It will temporarily affect satellite functions and flight operations. But it is unlikely to affect weather conditions or air quality. It reached northern India last night and seems to be headed towards China.”
The Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation advised pilots to be on the lookout for telltale signs of volcanic ash affecting their aircraft, including strange odors, visible smoke in the cabin, and “engine performance anomalies.” Local officials in Ethiopia reported no casualties or damage from the eruption, but voiced concerns about how the ash cloud could affect local farmers and herders.
“While no human lives and livestock have been lost so far, many villages have been covered in ash and as a result their animals have little to eat,” said local administrator Mohammed Seid.Residents said the sudden eruption was more akin to a bomb going off than an earthquake. The area is prone to seismic activity, since it is the “triple junction” of three tectonic plates. The eruption was so sudden and unexpected that scientists were not prepared to measure its precise impacts. (Read More)
