Eritrean ash cloud heads toward Middle East as some flights face disruption
The ash cloud from a volcano which erupted in Eritrea on Sunday and led to the cancellation of Emirates flights from Entebbe this morning is heading toward Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Weather forecasters in the region say that the cloud will cover parts of Jordan, Saudi, Egypt Sudan and Yemen during today.
Forecasters said they hoped rain in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa would help the ash cloud to dissipate, but it is expected to cause severe disruption in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel, to the north.
The eruption of the Nabro volcano close to Eritrea's border with Ethiopia came at around midnight local time on Sunday and was preceded by a series of earthquakes, the most powerful with a magnitude of 5.7 on the Richter scale.
Plumes of ash were sent eight miles upwards into the air. Fear of a no-fly zone cut short a visit of the American secretary of state, Hillary Clinton who flew to Ethiopia to address a meeting of the 53-member of the African Union and meet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.An official travelling with Mrs Clinton said they had been forced to make a snap decision or risk being stranded.
Meanwhile flights from South America and Australasia are still facing disruption following last week's eruption of a volcano in Chile.