Long-dormant volcano erupts in northern Ethiopia

A long-dormant volcano in northern Ethiopia erupted over the weekend, sending ash clouds across the Red Sea to Yemen and Oman.

Hayli Gubbi Volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar region erupted on Sunday morning, covering the neighboring village of Afdera with dust.

Local administrator Mohammed Seid said there were no casualties but the explosion could have economic consequences for the local community of livestock herders.

The Afar region is prone to earthquakes and resident Ahmed Abdela said he heard a loud noise and described it as a shock wave.

“It felt like a sudden bomb had been dropped, consisting of smoke and ash,” he said.

The village near the Danakil desert, a tourist attraction, was still covered in ash on Monday, leaving tourists and guides heading into the desert stranded in the village, Abdela said.

Local authorities shared photos and videos of the ash cloud rising from the volcano.