A set of coincidences, which is never too rare on an active volcano such as Etna, resulted in a short but intense summit eruption today – Sunday 19 April 2020. Already by 7 in the morning the volcano was giving signs of “nervousness”. This, however, did not worry scientists that much. In fact, an eruption inside the Voragine crater has been in progress for 5 months, and continues unabated.

Paroxysm from the New South East

On the morning of April 19, a series of signs of awakening also began to arrive from the New South East Crater. Precisely from the so-called “Sella crater” which opened a few years ago between the two cones that make up this apparatus.

Around 8 in the morning, a dense column of steam followed covered the sky on the east coast of Sicily. After that a sustained cloud of ash also came out. Accompanied by tremors, roars, throwing shreds of volcanic material, in less than two hours the eruptive show ended.

The eruption of the Voragine

The event overlapped with the constant eruption of the Voragine which began last autumn and continues today. The show, at the moment, is reserved only for the inhabitants of the western flank of the volcano.  April 19  paroxysm has not affected it.

In fact, once the activity of the Sella has been exhausted, the one taking place inside the Voragine still continues as before. The small cone  growing in the now ex Central Crater will soon make its presence felt on top of the volcano. (PHOTO BY GRAZIA MUSUMECI)