[2] The eruption killed seven[3] and possibly a further 31 people[4] and is estimated to be the highest altitude injection of sulfur dioxide (SO2) ever observed by satellite.

Then, on 18 June 2011 (at noon, local time) NASA's Aqua satellite passed overhead providing MODIS images which showed an ash plume heading in west-north-westerly direction.

[14] On 19 June 2011, the volcano produced the highest level of sulfur dioxide emissions in the Earth's atmosphere ever detected from space.

[16] Between the 22 and 27 June 2011, the eruption of sulfur dioxide, water vapour, and ash was confirmed to be still active by MODIS pictures taken from the TERRA satellite.

[23] By 27 June 2011, a thick emission of smoke from new lava eruptions were also reported in South Denkalia, Husele and Gagun.

The eruption has ejected a large ash cloud near the Eritrea–Ethiopia border region, extending over 1,000 km (620 mi) into neighboring Sudan.

[1] Forecasters predicted correctly[26] that the ash plume might reach Israel,[27] but no flights were cancelled at Ben-Gurion Airport on 14 June.

[5] By 20 June, eight villages in the Biddu district of Ethiopia were covered by volcanic ash, affecting at least 5,000 people and polluting springs and streams.

[34] A series of moderate earthquakes occurred near a sparsely populated part of the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, starting at 15:37 UTC on Sunday, 12 June 2011.

[36] The initial quake registered a magnitude of 5.1 Mw with a focal depth of 10 km (6.2 mi), and was succeeded by multiple lighter tremors.

Hours later, two consecutive magnitude 5.7 Mw earthquakes struck the region at 20:32 and 21:03 UTC, occurring at very similar depths.