Eruption Archives

Mount Etna’s “almost perfect” 1879 eruption

Posted on 03/07/2023 (23/02/2025) by Grazia Musumeci

In 1879 Mount Etna “split” on two different sides and a sudden double eruption took the countryside and the cities by surprise. It was not an extraordinary event, but surely it had been centuries since such an important one had occurred. The populations of the time found themselves fighting the volcano on two fronts and […]

Etna, ten years as UNESCO World Heritage

Posted on 25/06/2023 (23/02/2025) by Grazia Musumeci

Our volcano, Mount Etna, is part of the UNESCO world heritage list, that is, it is one of the natural treasures to be protected forever. It has been delivered to humanity as an absolute marvel to respect. The strange thing is not that it has been one for ten years now, but that they waited […]

Mount Etna’s 1865 eruption from Sartorius Craters

Posted on 29/05/2023 (23/02/2025) by Grazia Musumeci

Today the Sartorius Hills, or Sartorius Craters, are one of the many tourist destinations on the northern side of Mount Etna. Harmless black hills, surrounded by a wood of cheery birch, chestnut and oak trees, families go picnic here, and hikers test the strength of their legs as they climb each crater. But so much […]

Etna, new eruptive show but … behind “closed doors”!

Posted on 22/05/2023 (23/02/2025) by Grazia Musumeci

The people of Etna do not consider the volcano as an inanimate thing, but as a living being. They call it a “she”, a “mum”, and not surprisingly. In fact, this mountain seems to “have a behavior”, just like a human, and proves to be welcoming, generous, affectionate … or mischievous! Anyone who doesn’t live […]

Mount Etna and “top alert level”: what happened?

Posted on 20/05/2023 (23/02/2025) by Grazia Musumeci

Between Thursday 18 and Friday 19 May 2023, the district of Catania experienced a few hours of intense turmoil. A red top alert level appeared in many media and on various sites and social networks announcing a “violent explosive eruption” of Mount Etna, with related absolute bans on climbing to high altitudes. The situation raised […]