The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has confirmed that ash from a volcanic eruption in northeastern Ethiopia will not affect Karachi or other coastal regions of Pakistan, stating that the cloud is moving over the deep Arabian Sea instead.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region erupted on Sunday for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, sending a massive ash plume roughly 14 kilometers into the atmosphere. The cloud drifted westward toward the Arabian Sea after blanketing nearby areas.
PMD spokesperson Anjum Nazeer Zaighum said the ash cloud is not expected to impact Karachi, despite earlier projections from the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) suggesting it might brush southern Pakistan after moving over Yemen and Oman.
He added that updated assessments now show the plume passing mainly over the Arabian Sea, Oman, and the Mumbai flight region. The spokesperson noted that the ash cloud reached an altitude of nearly 50,000 feet and was observed 60 nautical miles south of Gwadar on Monday.
PMD has issued a warning to relevant authorities, which remains active. Aviation officials have also been alerted. According to reports, PMD has issued an aviation watch alert, as ash at high altitudes may pose a hazard to aircraft engines.
Domestic flights usually operate around 35,000 feet, while international flights travel between 40,000 and 45,000 feet, making monitoring essential.