Delhi’s Air Quality Remains ‘Very Poor’ as Ethiopian Volcanic Ash Reaches India

New Delhi: Air quality in the national capital continued to remain in the “very poor” category on Tuesday. Concerns grew further after ash clouds from a volcanic eruption in Ethiopia drifted towards Delhi, leading to dense smog across the city.

The Hayli Gubbi volcano, located in Ethiopia’s Afar region, erupted on Sunday, sending ash plumes up to 14 kilometres into the sky. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the ash clouds have been moving toward China and are expected to clear away from India by 7:30 PM on Tuesday. Ash particles were detected over Gujarat, Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Haryana.

According to the morning air quality bulletin issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 360, categorizing it as “very poor.” On Monday, the AQI had touched 382. The CPCB’s SAMEER app showed that the AQI in Rohini was 416, placing it in the “severe” category.

Authorities expect the air quality to remain in the “very poor” range for the next few days.

On the weather front, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 9°C on Tuesday — 2.3°C below the seasonal average. The maximum temperature is likely to reach 27°C, with foggy conditions expected to persist.