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Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
Mount Etna eruption in images: See Europe's largest active volcano blow from different angles
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Mount Etna erupted on Monday (June 2), sending a flow of hot material racing down the volcano as a massive dark cloud of ash rose high into the sky above Sicily. Live Science has rounded up some of the best photographs and videos of this eruption. News reports initially indicated this was the biggest eruption at Etna since 2014, but INVG representatives have since said this is not the case and that it was "a medium-sized eruption." The Italian volcano, which is the largest active volcano in Europe, has been erupting on and off for centuries, according to the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program. The current interval of eruptive activity began on Nov. 27, 2022. An avalanche of ejected hot lava blocks, ash, gas and other volcanic material, known as a pyroclastic flow, began to race down the side of the volcano at around 11:20 a.m. local time. Related: WATCH Mount Etna erupt: Europe's largest volcano blows as tourists scramble to safety Mount Etna's latest eruption likely started after a collapse of material in the southeast crater. The resulting explosive activity then spawned three main lava flows that are now cooling, according to an update from the Etnean Observatory, run by Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. Footage of the pyroclastic flow makes it look as if the volcano is splitting open from the top down as the ejected material races along the side of the volcano. People visiting Etna at the time captured the eruption on video as they fled. Volcano visitors filmed a massive cloud of ash and other volcanic material rising up above them as they fled. Some people stopped to take photos and videos while others scrambled away as fast as they could. There are no reports of injuries. An ash cloud generated by the eruption rose up to around 21,300 feet (6,500 meters into the sky, according to an update from the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in France at 12:00 p.m. local time. Mount Etna is around 11,000 feet (3,350 m) tall, so the ash cloud was almost twice as high as the volcano itself. The eruption pumped large amounts of sulfur dioxide (SO2) into the atmosphere, according to the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre. When released from a volcano, sulfur dioxide can mix with other gases and particles to form a haze called volcanic smog (vog). Inhaling enough vog can cause respiratory problems and other health issues such as eye and skin irritation, according to the United States Geological Survey. Mount Etna towers above the nearby metropolitan city of Catania, which is home to a population of more than 1 million people. Catania residents and visitors saw the eruption from the city's streets as the ash cloud obscured what was a clear blue sky. The eruption had stopped by 4:56 p.m. local time, when the Etnean Observatory published an update on Mount Etna's activity. The Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre noted that there was no ash cloud being produced at 4.22 p.m., and by 5:22 p.m., the ash cloud was dissipating. Editor's note: This story was updated on Wednesday, June 4 at 5:34 a.m. ET as it previously incorrectly stated the eruption was the biggest since 2014. After publication, INVG representatives told Live Science that it was "a medium-sized eruption."


Indian Express
04-06-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
What caused the massive eruption of italy's Mount Etna
Italy's Mount Etna, the largest volcano in Europe, produced an explosive eruption on Monday morning, sending a huge cloud of ash, smoke and rock fragments several kilometres into the sky. Although the eruption created a spectacular sight, it resulted in no reported injuries or damage and barely even disrupted flights in the region. Mount Etna, sometimes referred to simply as Etna, is an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, lying just off the toe of the Italian 'boot'. Etna's peak is the highest in Italy south of the Alps, and it is the largest of Europe's active volcanoes. Etna's summit has five craters, which are responsible for most of the volcano's eruptions. 'Flank' eruptions also occur at the 300-odd vents of varying sizes along the slopes of the mountain. The volcano is in near-constant activity. Since 1600, at least 60 flank eruptions and many more summit eruptions have happened. In recent years, summit eruptions have occurred in 2006, 2007-08, on two occasions in 2012, in 2018, and 2021; flank eruptions have taken place in 2001, 2002-03, 2004-05, and 2008-09. Etna has been a World Heritage Site since 2013, and according to UNESCO, the volcano's eruptive history can be traced back 500,000 years. At least 2,700 years of this activity have been documented. Experts suggest that the eruption began with an increase in pressure inside the volcano due to expanding gases, which led to the collapse of the southeast crater, resulting in hot lava flows. According to Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) Etna Observatory, the volcano was witnessing a 'Strombolian' eruption. This type of eruption is usually characterised as discreet moderately explosive bursts which can eject chunks of rock and cinders that can travel hundreds of metres into the air. It occurs due to the presence of gas in the magma chamber within the volcano. 'When the gas bubbles reach the surface, they can burst suddenly, throwing material skywards. The process is not dissimilar to letting gas out of a fizzy drink,' according to a report by the BBC. The Strombolian eruption is named after another Italian volcano called Stromboli, which produces minor eruptions every 10 to 20 minutes. However, some volcanologists believe that Mount Etna did not experience a Strombolian eruption but rather a Plinian eruption, in which hot gas, ash, and rock can explode high enough to reach the stratosphere. Given that the Monday eruption produced by Mount Etna threw material several kilometres into the sky, this set of volcanologists say it was a Plinian eruption. Scientists typically classify eruptions based on how explosive they are. More explosive eruptions tend to be more dangerous, as they can cover a larger area and move faster.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Mount Etna still smoldering day after eruption, drone video shows
Europe's largest and most active volcano sent people scurrying on Monday, June 2, when it erupted, throwing plumes of ash and smoke into the air. Mount Etna, an active stratovolcano located on the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy, is known for its frequent eruptions, which produce everything from huge explosions and lava flows to simple ash emissions, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Monday's activity was believed to be a "pyroclastic flow," according to a translated post shared by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). This means the eruption was a combination of ash, rock, and gas, "probably produced by the collapse of material from the northern side of the Southeast Crater." The local alerts for volcanic activity were downgraded to yellow as of Tuesday, a more typical rating for the area. No injuries were reported, no lava flow was spotted and operations at the nearby Catania airport remained normal after the eruption. Drone footage captured the day after shows the volcano continuing to smolder as gas escapes into the atmosphere. Contributing: Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mount Etna volcano eruption: Drone video captures scene a day later


USA Today
03-06-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
Mount Etna still smoldering day after eruption, drone video shows
Mount Etna still smoldering day after eruption, drone video shows Show Caption Hide Caption Drone: Mount Etna billows volcanic gas after eruption Drone footage of Mount Etna shows the volcano still billowing volcanic gas. Europe's largest and most active volcano sent people scurrying on Monday, June 2, when it erupted, throwing plumes of ash and smoke into the air. Mount Etna, an active stratovolcano located on the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy, is known for its frequent eruptions, which produce everything from huge explosions and lava flows to simple ash emissions, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Monday's activity was believed to be a "pyroclastic flow," according to a translated post shared by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). This means the eruption was a combination of ash, rock, and gas, "probably produced by the collapse of material from the northern side of the Southeast Crater." The local alerts for volcanic activity were downgraded to yellow as of Tuesday, a more typical rating for the area. No injuries were reported, no lava flow was spotted and operations at the nearby Catania airport remained normal after the eruption. See video of Mount Etna smoldering day after eruption Drone footage captured the day after shows the volcano continuing to smolder as gas escapes into the atmosphere. See photos of Mount Etna eruption Contributing: Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAY


DW
03-06-2025
- General
- DW
Mount Etna: 5 facts about Europe's most active volcano – DW – 06/03/2025
On Italy's island of Sicily, Mount Etna has spewed lava almost continuously for thousands of years, threatening inhabitants, but also supporting flora and fauna. Italy's Mount Etna lays claim to several titles. It is: The world's most active "stratovolcano" Europe's largest and most active volcano One of the best-monitored volcanoes in the world One of the world's longest documented volcanoes A UNESCO World Heritage Site Where is Mount Etna? Mount Etna rises 3,357 meters (11,014 feet) above Catania, a city on the east coast of Sicily, Italy. It covers an area of 1,250 square kilometers (482 square miles). What type of volcano is Mount Etna? Mount Etna is what geologists and volcanologists call a stratovolcano or composite volcano. Stratovolcanoes typically have steep inclines and many separate vents, formed over tens to hundreds of thousands of years. According to Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), Etna has more than 500,000 years of eruptive history , but it's only taken its current, conical shape in the past hundred thousand years. Stratovolcanoes can be highly explosive when they erupt. They spew a variety of magma types, including basalt, andesite, dacite, and rhyolite. When the UNESCO inscribed Mount Etna as a World Heritage Site in 2013, it said it was "an iconic site" that continued "to influence volcanology, geophysics and other Earth science disciplines. The volcano also supports important terrestrial ecosystems including endemic flora and fauna, and its activity makes it a natural laboratory for the study of ecological and biological processes." How dangerous is Mount Etna? It is difficult to determine the exact level of danger posed by Mount Etna. When it began erupting in June 2025, INGV set its alert level for Etna as "basic." While the volcano has been spewing lava non-stop for thousands of years, volcanologists can pinpoint new eruptions at least once or twice a year. According to the INGV, Mount Etna is in a state of persistent activity, with "continuous outgassing [which] can evolve into low energy Strombolian activity." "Strombolian" describes a type of eruption, caused by expanding gas that ejects clots of glowing lava in a cycle of almost continuous, small eruptions. Etna is also prone to "terminal and sub-terminal eruptions" at craters at the top of the volcano or nearby, and "lateral and eccentric eruptions" at vents along the slopes of the volcano. What threat does Mount Etna pose to people? Few people live within 5-10km (3.1-6.2 miles) of Mount Etna, but they do face a constant threat of debris and dust, even from the smallest eruptions. Lava flows have been known to reach as far as the eastern seaboard of Sicily and run off into the Ionian Sea. It is about 40km (24.9 miles) from Etna to Catania, which has a population of more than 300,000 people, mostly in its outskirts. Research by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany, suggested the eastern flank of Mount Etna was "slowly sliding towards the sea." In 2021, researchers at the Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences said the flank was sliding into the Ionian Sea at a rate of centimeters per year: "Such unstable flanks could fail catastrophically, triggering landslides that could generate tsunamis." This has happened in the past, about 8,000 years ago. And what of the flora and fauna at Mount Etna? Mount Etna and its surroundings are home to a variety of animals , including foxes, wild cats, porcupines, pine martens, rabbits, hares; and birds of prey like sparrowhawks, buzzards, kestrels, peregrine falcons and golden eagles. Farming has left a significant human footprint around Mount Etna, largely because volcanic soil is good for agriculture. As the British Geological Survey explains, "Volcanic deposits are rich with magnesium and potassium […] when the volcanic rock and ash weathers, the [magnesium and potassium] are released, producing extremely fertile soils." The volcano has also shaped its surrounding woodlands: vineyards, olive groves, orchards, hazelnut and pistachio groves flourish, and higher up, birch trees are exclusive to the area. Edited by: Matthew Ward Agius