Ash cloud from Ethiopia volcano to clear India by 7.30 pm: IMD

Ash clouds from volcanic activity in Ethiopia are drifting towards China and will move away from India by 730 pm on Tuesday the India Meteorological Department said reported news agency PTIAsh plumes from the recent eruption of the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia impacted flight operations in India on MondayForecast models indicated ash influence over Gujarat DelhiNCR Rajasthan Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday the India Meteorological Department IMD saidIMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the ash clouds are drifting towards China and will move away from Indian skies by 730 pm reported PTIAccording to the IMD Hayli Gubbi a shield volcano in Ethiopias Afar region erupted on Sunday producing a large ash plume that rose to around 14 km 45000 ft reported PTIThe plume spread eastward across the Red Sea and towards the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinentHighlevel winds carried the ash cloud from Ethiopia across the Red Sea to Yemen and Oman and further over the Arabian Sea towards western and northern India the IMD said in a statement reported PTIIt said the IMD closely monitored satellite imagery advisories from Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres VAACs and dispersion modelsIts Met Watch Offices in Mumbai New Delhi and Kolkata issued ICAOstandard Significant Meteorological Information SIGMET warnings to airportsThese advisories included directions to avoid affected airspace and flight levels identified in the VAAC bulletinsThe IMD said continuous monitoring of MET and ash advisories is used for flight planning including adjustments to routing and fuel calculations based on alternate pathsFlights over the region may face rerouting longer flight times or holding patterns the Met office addedMeanwhile Air India has cancelled at least 11 flights since Monday and is carrying out precautionary checks on those planes that had flown over locations that had ash plumes due to the volcanic activity in EthiopiaAir India said it has cancelled four flights on Tuesday AI 2822 ChennaiMumbai AI 2466 HyderabadDelhi AI 2444 2445 MumbaiHyderabadMumbai and AI 2471 2472 MumbaiKolkataMumbaiOn Monday it had cancelled seven international flights including AI 106 NewarkDelhi AI 102 New York JFKDelhi and AI 2204 DubaiHyderabad and AI 2290 DohaMumbaiGiving the flight details in a post on X on Tuesday Air India said it is carrying out precautionary checks on those aircraft which had flown over certain geographical locations after the Hayli Gubbi volcanic eruptionOur ground teams across the network are keeping passengers updated on their flight status and are providing immediate assistance including hotel accommodation We are making every effort to arrange alternative travel at the earliest the airline saidThere were no latest updates from IndiGo Air India Express SpiceJet and Akasa Air on the situationWith inputs from PTI