LThe eruption of Etna, the largest active volcano on the European plate and located on the Italian island of Sicily (south)has intensified in recent hours with the expulsion of lava and a column of smoke 5 kilometers high.
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The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) has been closely following the eruption, which has seen ups and downs in recent days, and confirmed on Sunday night that it had “intensified”, visible above all by the column of ash that is spreading towards the southeast.
Tremors from the eruption
The eruption is also causing a “continuous” and “very high” tremor recorded at 2,800 meters above sea level.so it does not affect the cities on its outskirts, such as Catania.
INGV has notified Catania airport of this phenomenon, but for the moment, according to its website, it is still operating (last Thursday it had to partially close due to the presence of ash on the runways, something quite common).
The eruption was recorded in its ‘Voragine’ craterone of the four that crown this great volcano which, after the explosions of February 2021, increased its height to 3,357 meters.
Very close to Etna, the Stromboli volcano has also been active for several days, on a small island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, whose population has been extremely cautious, although they are accustomed to this phenomenon given the frequent explosions in that crater.
Reports from two days ago about volcanic activity
On July 5, authorities reported that two of Italy’s largest volcanoes, Mount Etna and Stromboli, Lava eruptions and ash expulsions have been recorded, which has led to an increase in alert levels and the temporary closure of Catania airport on the island of Sicily, although it was later reopened.
The National Civil Protection Service has raised the alert level to red for Stromboli, a small island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, where videos taken with regular and infrared cameras by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INVV) show smoke, eruptions and lava flows flowing down from craters 700 metres high to the sea.
In addition, the Italian authorities have moved to the operational phase of “early warning”, a higher standard of precaution based on the phenomenology and hazard assessments made available by members of the scientific community around the INGV.
The mayor of Lipari, a town near Stromboli, “has taken the first precautionary measures to protect people on the island” and will be in contact with the authorities “to ensure constant information for the population,” Civil Protection said in a statement.
He added that Stromboli is “in a situation of greater imbalance” and that the population is invited “to stay informed and follow the instructions of local authorities.”
The impressive eruptions are also visible from the craters of Etna, on the island of Sicily, which has also increased its activity in recent days, with incandescent lava fountains and clouds of ash reaching five metres in height.
Its spread was evident in several parts of Sicily, such as the city of Catania, with ash from lava ‘raining’ down its streets and several towns in the province, local press reported.
Initially, the ash was rather fine and gradually became thicker. This forced the temporary closure of Catania airport due to reduced visibility and to clear the runways, which are currently unusable for landings and takeoffs.
Flights will then resume when the ashes have been removed from Europe’s most active volcano, which is 3,351 metres high and emits eruptions from its central crater, ‘Vorágine’, accompanied by tremors and intense activity that is evolving rapidly, according to media reports.
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