Ethiopia Evacuates Residents as Mount Dofan Volcano Shows Activity
Hundreds of residents near Mount Dofan, 165km northeast of Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, are evacuating in fear of a possible volcanic eruption. The volcano began emitting high fiery plumes of smoke around 17:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Thursday, according to Sultan Kemil, a local chief.
A video shared by the Ethiopian Geological Institute shows steam and debris shooting out of the mountain, further intensifying concerns. Recent weeks have seen over a dozen seismic events around Awash Fentale, a region prone to earthquakes in Ethiopia’s Afar area.
Abdu Ali, the chief administrator of the area, confirmed that evacuations are underway to protect residents. He noted that the tremors are becoming “higher and stronger,” with some even being felt as far away as Addis Ababa.
🚨👀 Ethiopia: In the Dulecha district, where a seismic swarm has been ongoing since December 22, volcanic activity has intensified. A new vent has formed at the Dofen volcano. It has been ejecting substantial amounts of gas, rocks, and mud, suspected to be linked to magma… pic.twitter.com/TWHNIqbFx5
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) January 3, 2025
Shiferaw Teklemariam, from the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission, stated it is too early to classify the activity as a full eruption but emphasized that authorities are taking precautions. The situation remains under close observation as residents flee the area in growing numbers.
The volcanic activity highlights Ethiopia’s vulnerability to natural disasters and underscores the importance of disaster preparedness as authorities work to safeguard affected communities.