The eruption of Mount Etna, which began on Sunday, July 5th, is continuing into its second day, providing a spectacular night along the Catania coast. The opening of a new series of fractures in the already fractured Voragine crater released fountains of gas and fire that lit up the night. Along with the spectacle, however, came disruption: the very thin column of ash, continuously emitted by the volcano, drifted southward, covering the towns of Mascalucia, Nicolosi, and the city of Catania, causing the closure of the Fontanarossa Airport.
Updates on volcanic activity
The Passione Etna social media page writes:
Etna’s activity has undergone some changes in recent days. The lava flow that began on June 26th has been dormant for several days. Meanwhile, explosive activity at the vent on the flank of the Voragine has intensified, peaking yesterday evening. This has sapped the power of the crater, which was active until yesterday, and has since quieted down.
Along this fracture are several aligned vents, which produce lava flows and ash emissions. A lava flow is ejected inside the Northeast Crater, creating a spectacular sight, yet invisible from the outside. This is not the first time that a lava flow has escaped from one crater and flowed into another. The paradox is that it could once have been the Northeast Crater that spewed lava into the Chasm, but now the height of the craters has changed, and it is the latter that pours its flows into the Northeast Crater, which is now much lower.
The conduit of this crater is open, so what we can imagine is that the lava flow ends up inside the degassing pit and is swallowed by the bowels of the earth, mixing with the hotter and more fluid rising magma or solidifying somewhere else.
Is there a safety concern?
The Passione Etna page by guide and film maker Antonio De Luca also warns: given the instability of the situation, it would be very risky for anyone to approach the summit area at this time.
The presence of numerous fractures and the instability of the volcano’s internal pressure, due to gases and fountains, could cause collapses and pyroclastic flows, so… yes, there is a safety issue, and for now, Etna’s summit remains off limits except for experts (volcanologists, guides, and forest rangers).
Where to enjoy the spectacle
This eruption is a “private affair” between Voragine and the Northeast crater. The two craters are managing the situation “on their own”. The Voragine pours lava into the Northeast crater, and the Northeast crater balances the Voragine’s fractures. This means there’s very little to see from downstream.
From popular tourist destinations like Taormina and Catania, you can only see the reverberation of the lava and the splashes of a few bolder fountains! The best views are from Giarre, Mascali, Sant’Alfio, and Milo, which are located on the central line and have the Voragine practically open before them! The photos you see were taken from Fornazzo, a hamlet of Milo located along the Mareneve of Etna Nord. A good view (though not complete) can also be enjoyed from Randazzo and Linguaglossa, where the Northeast appears in the foreground, allowing you to better admire this “communication” between the two craters.
As always… be wary!
As often happens during eruptions like this, AI-generated videos and equally fake news are being circulated online, with the sole purpose of “stealing” a high number of clicks and resulting revenue. Don’t blindly trust everything you read on social media these days, but always be careful to inform yourself with your own eyes by exploring the INGV website or the social media pages of Etna guides. (PHOTO BY G. MUSUMECI)