Mumbai’s Air Quality Dips. Is a Volcano in Ethiopia to Blame?

As air quality in Mumbai slipped into the poor category this week and visibility dropped across parts of the city, a wave of speculation spread rapidly across social media. Many users on X and Instagram claimed that a major volcanic eruption in Ethiopia had sent ash drifting across the Arabian Sea, worsening pollution in India’s financial capital.

The claim is compelling and misleading.

What the available data shows is a more nuanced story: while the volcanic plume did reach the region’s upper atmosphere, there is little evidence that it significantly altered the air Mumbaikars are breathing.

A 4,600-Kilometer Journey, Mostly Above the City

The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia erupted on November 23, sending a column of ash and sulphur dioxide high into the atmosphere. Satellite observations confirmed that the plume travelled roughly 4,600 kilometers over two days, carried eastward by strong winds.

Scientists say the cloud passed over parts of western India, including the wider Maharashtra region. But most of the volcanic material remained in the upper troposphere, far above the city’s surface-level air.

India’s meteorological authorities have stated that the plume posed a risk to aviation not to urban air quality.

Claims of “African Ash” in Mumbai’s Air, Examined

Social media posts have circulated maps showing the movement of the ash cloud, often presented without context. While the imagery is striking, it does not show what is happening at ground level.

What scientists agree on is this:

Elevated sulphur dioxide columns appeared over India, but these readings represent total atmospheric content, not surface concentrations.

Ground-level monitoring stations in Mumbai did not record a corresponding spike in volcanic gases.

There is no confirmed deposition of ash in the city.

In short: the volcano is visible from space, but not in Mumbai’s air-quality sensors.

A City Already Struggling With Its Own Pollution

The broader question is why a distant volcanic plume became a plausible explanation for Mumbai’s dip in air quality.

Environmental researchers point to a familiar set of factors. Low wind speeds, high humidity, and a stable atmosphere created conditions that trapped local pollutants near the surface. Vehicular emissions, construction activity, road dust, and industrial output continue to make up the bulk of the city’s particulate load.

In these conditions, even minor external influences such as a thin layer of high-altitude haze can make skies appear duller or visibility weaker, reinforcing the perception of worsening pollution.

But the underlying drivers remain overwhelmingly local.

A Divergence Among Experts

The differing assessments of the volcano’s impact reflect not a disagreement over data, but differing viewpoints on what aspects of the atmosphere matter.

Meteorologists track the altitude of ash clouds and emphasize their limited interaction with surface air. Satellite experts track total atmospheric sulphur dioxide and observe that the eruption added to the region’s overall aerosol load.

Both assessments can be accurate: the eruption changed the sky, but not necessarily the air.

Flights Diverted, But Little Evidence of Urban Impact

Airlines suspended or rerouted several flights after the eruption, following global safety protocols designed to prevent ash from entering jet engines. Aviation authorities treat high-altitude ash as a significant operational hazard.

The impact on Mumbai’s streets, however, was far less pronounced. Local pollution control agencies found no evidence that the eruption altered the city’s air-quality trajectory.

What the Episode Reveals About Mumbai’s Air

Whether or not the volcanic plume played a minor visual role in the hazy conditions this week, the data points to a consistent conclusion: Mumbai’s pollution problem is primarily homegrown.

The rapid spread of volcanic explanations underscores a broader reality that the city’s air has grown sensitive enough that even faraway events can become part of the public narrative.

But as experts note, the solution to Mumbai’s worsening air lies closer to its highways, construction sites, and industrial zones than to a distant volcanic ridge in East Africa.