Etna is never over, not even when it’s over. This could be a motto of the future, referring to our vibrant volcano, which this summer of 2026—right at the peak of the tourist season—caused the worst disruption, creating serious economic damage to Catania Airport and accommodations on the east coast. Flights were diverted to Lamezia Terme, Palermo, Trapani  and Comiso Airport, stays were canceled… only guided excursions saw significant increases and resounding success. Ashfall brought all the towns on Etna’s southern slope to their knees… and every update was a tragedy. And what about today?

Eruption Update

The eruption that began on August 6th at dawn from the Voragine crater is over. INGV volcanologists have no doubt about this. The large crater, Etna’s highest peak, exhausted its indomitable energy through degassing, ash ejection, and lava flows (one at the summit flowed directly into the nearby Northeast crater). However, this internal power forced the magma to seek further outlets, opening at least four lateral vents on the eastern flank, inside Valle del Bove. This led to the release of rivers of lava that descended from 2,900 to 1,300 meters, surrounding Rocca Capra, located close to the tourist trails.

On the evening of August 14th, however, the energy of this eruption slowly dissipated. And on the morning of the 15th, the holiday of Ferragosto, the sky was finally clear of ash (and the airport was operational again), while the lava, downstream, was a harmless, cooling spectacle. The parameters showed that the eruption at Voragine was finally over.

But is it really over?

Shortly before dawn today, August 16th, however, new puffs of ash rose into the air. This time, the Voragine had nothing to do with it, but rather it seems that the nearby Northeast crater is tired of “taking it” and is spewing out all the lava it has received in recent days! So far, this crater has repeated its own unique ash explosions dozens of times. This doesn’t necessarily mean the start of a new eruption; it could simply be a sign of normal degassing, expelling the mountain of ash that has fallen into the caldera in recent days. Or, given that Etna is a volcanic system, and not a simple volcano, it could be the start of a “B” eruption.

The Earthquake Problem

On the afternoon of August 15th, the mountain’s north flank was shaken by a magnitude 3.9 earthquake,  about 1 km deep, which caused panic in the area’s overcrowded hotels, shelters, and restaurants. People were evacuated, but even during these operations, there were disruptions because the Mareneve road (which connects Linguaglossa to the volcano) split in several places.

This is the Pernicana Fault, a sentinel of Etna’s movements, both before and after each eruption. When this fault moves, it often means that the volcano is “swelling” and filling with lava, or, conversely, that it is deflating at the end of an event. In the past, however, the fault has also moved shortly before a lateral eruption… so, even based on these parameters, we could be witnessing the end of an event, but without absolute certainty.

The latest press releases

The latest official press releases from the INGV, issued this morning (August 16), speak of an “orange alert,” meaning the emergency (red) is over, but it’s unclear how things will evolve. The liveliness of this new crater, the Northeast, indicates that something is still stirring beneath the earth’s crust, and perhaps Etna hasn’t finished its work. The press releases from various municipalities remain strictly monitoring, with restrictions in place. In fact, in addition to the danger of overcrowding and eruption, there is now the added problem of the road being damaged by the earthquake, which seriously endangers private vehicles, both two- and four-wheeled.

Tips for your excursions

Our advice for your excursions, given that the situation has not yet completely returned to normal, is to always rely on professional guides who always know IF and WHERE to go.

The INGV and Weather websites must become your “best friends” in these turbulent days. Because without clear information on the volcano’s activity and wind direction, you shouldn’t even attempt a trip. Not even by car! Get into the habit of checking these pages daily and always rely on experts in the field.

Regarding flights to and from Catania, unfortunately, you can only rely on the information provided by airlines, which often tend to gamble with prices, depending on the emergency. But by following the INGV’s advice, you can anticipate every decision and understand whether it’s worth booking your flight or not… Or perhaps whether it’s better to use alternative means (train, car, ferry) to reach Sicily. (PHOTOS BY GO ETNA STAFF)