The earthquake that this morning around 7:00 a.m. literally woke up the entire district of Catania (as well as some areas in the provinces of Messina and Syracuse) falls within the “average” range of typical Etna earthquakes. The strength always settles below 5 on the Richter scale (in this case 4.5), and the dynamics are virtually the same as on other occasions: magma pushes against faults, which widen or break, causing earthquakes. In addition to the strong tremor at 7:00 a.m., 15 other micro-earthquakes were recorded by the INGV in Catania in the immediate aftermath. But Etna has also shown signs of a sudden awakening.

Damage in Ragalna

The towns closest to the fault are Ragalna and Paternò, and indeed it is here that the damage was recorded—fortunately, only to property. Over 600 inspection requests confirmed that damage had indeed occurred: collapsed walls and roofs, partially destroyed old houses plus some minor damages into Ragalna churches.  Some ancient walls in Paternò and central Catania also suffered minor collapses. Schools remained closed across much of the volcano’s southern slope.

Ash Column

Around midday, under a cloudy sky, web cameras pointed at Etna recorded images of a tall ash column rising from the summit craters—specifically, from Bocca Nuova—and falling in the immediate vicinity (between Valle del Leone and Valle del Bove) without causing any trouble to the towns and villages at the foot of the volcano. It was not necessary to close Catania airport.

Developments

In the afternoon, the INGV declared the seismic swarm over.   The event has released much of the fault’s energy, and further earthquakes are unlikely to happen. However, a brand new eruption remains possible, as Etna seems slowly preparing for another event with these internal bulges. The signs of the next few days will reveal how the situation will evolve.