The only eruption of the volcano in recorded history occurred on September 26, 2005. Preceding the eruption, the ground swelled and an earthquake swarm consisting of over 130 events occurred.[2] Earthquakes measured 4.2 on the Richter scale.[4] The eruption began 5 kilometers northeast of the summit. Ash from the eruption darkened the area surrounding the volcano for nearly 3 days.
The volcano is located along the Somali Plate. Researchers predict that the land along this region, known as the East African Rift, will eventually break away, creating a new island consisting of eastern Ethiopia and Djibouti with a new sea in between.[5][6] Using seismic data from 2005, a research study predicted that this could occur in about one million years.[7]