A rare and powerful volcanic eruption in Ethiopia has rekindled concerns over geological instability in East Africa, a region already haunted by active volcanoes. On 23 November 2025, the Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia’s remote Afar region erupted for the first time in recorded history, a stark reminder that the East African Rift’s ancient fire is still very much alive.
A Geological Awakening
Hayli Gubbi, a shield volcano on the Erta Ale Range, generated an explosive eruption unseen for thousands of years. Satellite data from the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) showed large ash plumes rising as high as 14–15 km (45,000 ft). The volcano’s last known activity dates back at least 10,000–12,000 years, making the event both rare and scientifically profound.
The eruption was not only powerful: it released a massive sulfur dioxide (SO₂) plume, signaling a strong explosive phase. The ash drifted across the Red Sea toward Yemen and Oman, prompting aviation alerts as the clouds spread.
Why This Matters for East Africa
While Hayli Gubbi is far from densely populated areas, its eruption holds a deeper warning for the region’s more volatile volcanic zones, especially the Great Lakes region. The East African Rift System, which stretches from Ethiopia down through Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is known for its seismic and volcanic activity.
In the Great Lakes region, one of the most dangerous volcanoes is Mount Nyiragongo, near Goma (DRC) and not far from Rwanda. Nyiragongo is infamous for its fast-moving lava flows, which have devastated nearby communities in past eruptions.
Another grave threat comes not just from lava, but also from Lake Kivu, which lies along the rift and straddles Rwanda and the DRC. Scientists warn that volcanic disturbances could trigger a limnic eruption, releasing trapped carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane in a deadly, suffocating gas cloud.
However, recent studies by the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) and its Lake Kivu monitoring team offer some reassurance: they found no immediate risk of a sudden gas outburst following prior Nyiragongo activity.
Human and Environmental Stakes
The risks are not just geological. A renewed lava flow or gas release could displace hundreds of thousands of people, as past eruptions have shown. For instance, scientific assessments reveal that a limnic event could threaten both human populations and wildlife around the lake.
Wildlife is also at risk. The African Wildlife Foundation reports that during prior Nyiragongo eruptions, large swathes of forest were destroyed, and ecosystems around Lake Kivu were disrupted. With more frequent volcanic activity or larger eruptions, these effects could re-emerge, imperiling biodiversity in the Virunga Mountains and surrounding regions.
Scientific Opportunity and Warning
The Hayli Gubbi eruption, while dangerous, offers a rare window for scientists to study a long-dormant volcano. The sudden activation of Hayli Gubbi could shed new light on how rift volcanoes behave when they awaken after millennia of silence.
But the event also underscores systemic gaps: the Afar region is remote and difficult to monitor, making ground-based data scarce. Experts say this raises urgency for better volcano early warning systems, not just for Ethiopia, but for all countries along the Rift.
A Wake-Up Call for Regional Coordination
Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC all sit on or near the East African Rift. The Hayli Gubbi explosion should drive a stronger regional cooperation on volcanic risk:
- Enhancing seismic and gas monitoring
- Sharing data between countries
- Building evacuation and public education plans
- Investing in scientific capacity to forecast and respond
The recent eruption is not just a rare geological event, it’s a powerful reminder that nature’s forces in the Rift Valley remain both dynamic and dangerous.
Looking Ahead
For now, communities in Rwanda and neighboring states should take the Hayli Gubbi eruption as a signal: volcanoes in this region are not relics, they are active agents of change. Scientists, policymakers, and regional governments must work hand in hand to turn this wake-up call into preventive action.
While no immediate crisis is unfolding in Rwanda today, the silent rumblings under the Rift are real. The time to prepare is not tomorrow, it’s now.
