Giant ash cloud spreads across two continents sparking flight chaos after volcano erupts for first time in 12,000 years

VOLCANIC ash has caused mass flight cancellation chaos after an enormous eruption in Ethiopia.

The long-dormant Hayli Gubbi roared back into life for the first time in 12,000 years, spewing a monster cloud up to nine miles high.

Air India was forced to cancel 11 flights on Monday and Tuesday and make safety checks on aircraft that had flown through the dangerous ash.

Other carriers were forced to ground jets as the frightening cloud loomed over parts of Pakistan, northern India and the Middle East.

Akasa Air scraped scheduled flights to premium holiday destinations such Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi during the two days.

Rival budget carrier IndiGo also said it was keeping a close eye on the drifting doom cloud “in coordination with international aviation bodies”.

India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation said that only a few flights had been rerouted as a precautionary measure, and that the airports authority had issued a notice to all affected planes.

The country’s met office warned that the sky-darkening haze from northern Ethiopia is now drifting towards China, but said Indian skies should clear by 7.30pm local time (2pm UK).

Back in Ethiopia, stunned resident Ahmed Abdela described a frightening scene to the Associated Press, saying: “It felt like a sudden bomb had been thrown with smoke and ash.”

Local administrator Mohammed Seid added: “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.”

The volcano stands at an impressive 1,500 feet and is nestled in the Rift Valley, a zone known for its intense geological activity.

Earlier this year, a volcanic eruption in Indonesia caused dozens of flight cancellations to tourist hotspots.

Mount Lweotobi Men were seen spewing plumes of ash more than 11km into the sky.

Authorities raised the highest red alert and residents were urged to avoid activities within a 5 mile radius around the crater.

Bali’s Gusti Ngurah rai International Airport showed that almost 40 flights were cancelled due to the explosion.

The eruption even sparked fears of an impending tsunami that never truly came.

Terrifying footage taken from a residential area nearby showed the moment a gargantuan plume of and orange and grey smoke erupted from the volcano.

The humongous mushroom cloud towered over horrified locals who watched on as dark smoke spewed into the air.

In November last year, 10 people died after Mount Lewotobi spewed a fiery column of lava.

Hot ashes hit several villages, burning down houses including a convent of Catholic nuns.

Indonesia sits on the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, an area of high seismic activity atop multiple tectonic plates.

In April 2024, a remote volcano in Indonesia erupted and sent a tower of ash more than five kilometres into the sky.

Thousands were evacuated and an international airport was closed after Mount Ruang erupted several times.

Within the same month, the 725-metre-tall volcano had already erupted more than half a dozen times, forcing more than 6,000 people to flee their homes.