Addis Ababa: A volcano in Ethiopia’s northeastern region erupted for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, sending thick plumes of smoke up to 14 kilometers (nine miles) into the sky, the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) said. The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in Ethiopia’s Afar region about 800 kilometers (500 miles) northeast of Addis Ababa near the Eritrean border, erupted on Sunday for several hours. The volcano, which rises about 500 meters in altitude, sits within the Rift Valley, a zone of intense geological activity where two tectonic plates meet.

Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcano erupts for the first time in 12,000 years, sending ash clouds across multiple countries.

Ash clouds from Hayli Gubbi volcano sent drifting across the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman