When a remote volcano in Ethiopia's Erta Ale range rumbled back to life on November 23 after lying silent for at least 12,000 years impact would be felt as far away as India. few imagined its impact would be felt as far away as India. But just a day later, a plume of volcanic ash from Hayli Gubbi had travelled thousands of kilometres, first brushing past Gujarat and then drifting across Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, casting a faint haze over northern skies. Over time, cracks in the crust created an opening for the gas-rich magma to reach the surface. The gas expanded, the volcano erupted, and fine particles blasted into the air, creating an eruption plume'. Once the ash cloud reached the upper layers of the atmosphere, strong winds carried it across vast distances. Interestingly, if the tectonic plates continue drifting apart, the rift valley and the Arabian Sea could eventually widen into a new ocean over millions of years. When an explosion such as this occurs, the magma depressurises upon breaching the Earth's surface and shatters into microscopic pieces, creating volcanic ash. It is made up of tiny, sharp fragments of rock and glass, sometimes coated with acidic chemicals and mixed with gases like sulphur dioxide that form 'vog' or volcanic smog. Hot gases blast these particles high into the sky, where they can remain for weeks. Breathing this 'vog' can pose several risks. Fine ash can irritate the lungs, worsen asthma or bronchitis, and trigger headaches or dizzi