Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Etna (Sicily, Italy): Activity at the Voragine has been steadily increasing during the evening and night so far - strombolian activity is probably now turning into lava fountaining: the 3rd paroxysm of the summit crater within less than 3 days - is about to occur. After a relatively calm day, Etna seems perhaps about to start another eruptive episode from the Voragine summit crater where strombolian activity has set in a short while ago. Tremor is currently elevated, but with no clear trend so far. While the lava effusion from the eastern vent at the foot of the NE crater had already stopped yesterday, the lava flow from the summit vent itself, that has been active on Etna's western flank, had remained active during the day. The 3rd paroxysm (violent summit eruption with lava fountains) of Etna's Voragine occurred over night and ended at dawn. It was significantly less strong than the previous ones, but produced spectacular strombolian explosions and pulsating lava fountains from the summit crater. The gradual increase of strombolian activity that had set in in the evening culminated in a short phase of lava fountaining which peaked between 4 and 5 am. Only a small ash plume was generated during the eruption. It drifted east and southeast from the volcano, causing light ash fall in villages and towns such as Pedara, Viagrande, Giarre.