Erta Ale Volcano Erupts with Violent Force in Ethiopia’s Afar Region

Ethiopia, 24 November 2025 — The Erta Ale volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar Region has erupted with unusual strength, sending massive plumes of smoke into the sky and swallowing large amounts of active molten rock — a rare phenomenon compared to previous eruptions, according to geological experts.

Erta Ale is one of Ethiopia’s most active volcanoes. Professor Atalay Ayele, Head of the Seismology Department at the Institute of Geophysics, Space Science and Astronomy at Addis Ababa University, said the southern Danakil Depression remains one of the most geologically active zones in the region, where ongoing subsidence and tectonic shifts consistently create conditions for such eruptions.

Ayele explained that the latest volcanic burst — as in most similar cases — was triggered by the movement of molten rock deep beneath the earth’s surface. He added that the area has experienced several comparable eruptions over recent years, with the latest activity occurring about 10 kilometers south of the volcano’s main crater.