The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia erupted after nearly 12,000 years, sending ash plumes across the Red Sea to India, affecting visibility and air quality in northwest regions before drifting toward China and the Pacific.

A long dormant volcano has just erupted for the first time in recorded history. The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia's Afar Region erupted for the first time in at least 12,000 years, according to Volcano Discovery, a website that tracks active volcanoes around the world.

Satellite images have captured a rare volcanic eruption that occurred Sunday at Ethiopia’s Hayli Gubbi volcano, sending towering ash plumes toward Yemen and Oman. The eruption is the first recorded activity at the volcano in roughly 10,000 years, offering scientists a striking glimpse of a previously dormant geological site.