'Like a sudden bomb': See photos from space of Ethiopian volcano erupting for first time in 12,000 years

Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia's Afar region erupted for the first time in at least 12,000 years on Sunday, sending an ash cloud 45,000 feet high that drifted across the Red Sea toward Yemen, Oman, India, and China. The explosive phase lasted about 12 hours before stopping, marking the first known Holocene eruption for this previously dormant volcano. While no casualties occurred, ash covered nearby villages, threatening livestock and farming in the region.