The new morphology of the Hayli Gubbi volcano
On 23 November 2025, the Hayli Gubbi volcano in north-eastern Ethiopia erupted for the first time in recorded history. The volcano is located in the seismically active Afar Depression, part of the African Rift fault system. The event generated an ash and gas column reaching approximately 13–15 km, and the ash cloud spread over the Red Sea towards the Arabian Peninsula. The ash fallout could affect nearby pasture and crops.
These false-colour images, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 23 and 25 November 2025, reveal clear changes at the volcano’s summit following the eruption. In the second image, acquired two days after the event, a new crater is in the summit area, while dark grey and brown ash deposits cover the slopes and nearby terrain.
Copernicus Sentinel-2’s multispectral capabilities enable detailed observation of land surface changes associated with volcanic activity.
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