Etna eruption sparks panic among tourists
The Italian volcano has released a large column of smoke and a hot mixture of gases, ash and rock fragments.
BarcelonaMount Etna, located on the Italian island of Sicily, erupted this Monday with a powerful explosion that released pyroclastic flows—a hot mixture of gases, ash, and rock fragments—sparking panic among the crowds of tourists walking nearby. The explosion generated an immense column of smoke visible from several locations. For example, from Catania, in southern Sicily, it was perfectly visible, yet the city's airport remained operational.
Mount Etna is the most active volcano on the European plate. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) is analyzing the situation and, as explained to the Efe news agency, the eruption was probably caused by the collapse of part of the southeast crater, but "the hot material does not appear to have passed" through the Lion Valley, which is usually open to hikers.
The first notification from the INGV came this Monday at 2:39 a.m., when the observatory reported "a sudden change in the parameters" of the Sicilian volcano at an altitude of 2,800 meters. It later confirmed Strombolian-type activity in the southeast crater, that is, explosive eruptions separated by periods of calm, as well as "a gradual increase" in tremors. In its latest bulletin, the INGV reports that explosive activity in the southeast crater has led to lava eruptions and volcanic tremors have reached "very high levels."
Sicilian President Renato Schifani has ruled out any danger to the population. However, Civil Protection Chief Salvo Cuina recommended "utmost concern" for hikers and to "avoid the area at the top of the volcano."
The reactivation of the volcano occurs just one month after the last eruption, on April 30. The lava fountains then reached heights of more than 300 meters above the vents at the top of the crater, leaving striking images on social media.
Etna, a tourist attraction in Sicily
The volcano attracts thousands of tourists, hikers, and photographers to the island of Sicily every year. This growing interest has led local authorities to implement safety measures to prevent overcrowding. "Its beauty and power attract visitors from all over the world, but we must also be aware of the risks posed by the current eruptive activity," said Fabio Mancuso, mayor of Adrano, in an interview with the newspaper last February. The New York Times.
