India, Nov. 25 -- A massive cloud of volcanic ash from Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcano, which erupted for the first time in nearly 12,000 years, swept across northwestern India on Monday night, reducing visibility and disrupting air traffic over several major cities. The plume, travelling at nearly 100-120 km/hour at altitudes above 10 km, crossed Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR and Punjab, before continuing eastwards across the subcontinent.

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The ash, which entered Indian airspace around 6.30 pm, darkened skies and forced airlines to divert or cancel flights through the evening. While the IMD said surface-level pollution impacts would be minimal because the plume was at h...