PMD issues warning as Ethiopian volcanic ash drifts into Pakistani airspace

• Volcanic ash spotted 60 nautical miles southwest of Gwadar.
• Ash is at 45,000 feet, says PMD spokesperson Zaigham.
• Engines of high-altitude international flights may be affected.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a historic warning after ash clouds from Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano entered Pakistani airspace, potentially impacting aviation safety.

The volcanic ash was detected 60 nautical miles southwest of Gwadar at 45,000 feet, PMD official Anjum Nazir Zaigham told Geo.tv.

“The Met Office has issued two advisories/warnings. Domestic flights fly at 34,000-36,000 feet, while international flights may be affected at 40,000-45,000 feet as engines are also impacted by volcanic ash,” he said.

Zaigham added: “This is the first time in history that the Met Office has issued an alert regarding volcanic ash.” He said that the Met Office had been monitoring the volcanic ash since last night.

When asked if it would impact Karachi, he said: "Yes, but at very high altitudes. It will remain high above in the sky and not have an impact on the land below."

The eruption of Hayli Gubbi, located in Ethiopia’s Afar region near the Eritrean border, occurred on Sunday for several hours, sending plumes up to 14 kilometres into the sky. The volcano, dormant for nearly 12,000 years, sits within the tectonically active Rift Valley.

Ash clouds from the eruption have drifted over Yemen, Oman, India, and northern Pakistan, according to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC). The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program confirmed that Hayli Gubbi has had no known eruptions during the Holocene.

Videos circulated on social media showed thick white smoke rising from the volcano, although these could not be independently verified. Afar authorities have not provided details on casualties or displacement.