A fresh look at the Hayli Gubbi volcano shows how the summit has been reshaped after its first recorded eruption, with the new crater now visible in satellite imagery.
Hayli Gubbi, located in the seismically active Afar Depression of north-eastern Ethiopia, erupted on 23 November 2025. The volcano sits within the African Rift fault system, an area known for tectonic activity. During the event, an ash and gas column rose to roughly 13–15 km, and the cloud drifted over the Red Sea toward the Arabian Peninsula. Ash fallout may influence nearby pasture and crops, according to early assessments.
The Copernicus Sentinel-2 images, taken on 23 and 25 November 2025, show how the eruption altered the summit. In the later image, a new crater appears clearly, while dark grey and brown ash deposits spread across the slopes and surrounding ground. These changes are visible through Sentinel-2’s multispectral instruments, which allow close observation of land surfaces affected by volcanic activity.
The Afar Depression is one of the most geologically active parts of the African continent, where volcanic systems often interact with deep tectonic forces. The eruption at Hayli Gubbi adds to ongoing scientific work in the region, offering researchers new material on how rift-zone volcanoes evolve and how eruptive episodes reshape the landscape.
As monitoring continues, the updated morphology of the volcano provides an early record of the event’s impact on the summit area. The new crater and ash deposits captured in the satellite images form a baseline for future comparisons, helping scientists track how the terrain adjusts in the weeks and months ahead.
Featured image credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery
