ROME (AP) – Mount Etna, the volcano that rises over eastern Sicily, evokes superlatives. It is the most active volcano in Europe and also the largest continent.
And the hot and noisy show of power that he does for days or weeks, even years from time to time, is always super spectacular. Fortunately, the last eruption of Etna that captured the world’s attention caused no injuries or evacuations.
But every time he returns to a dramatic action, he surprises the spectators and scares the geologists who spend their careers monitoring their every commotion, noise and laughter.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
On February 16, Mount Etna erupted, sending high lava fountains that rolled down the eastern slope of the mountain to the uninhabited Bove Valley, which is five kilometers wide and eight kilometers long. The volcano removed ash and lava stones that led to the southern part.
The activity continues since then, in more or less intense bursts. Lava in flames illuminates the night sky in shocking shades of orange and red. It is not said how long this round of interesting activities will take, say volcanologists working at the Etna Observatory led by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.
While public fascination began with the first dramatic images this month, the explosive activity began in September 2019, becoming much stronger two months ago. The current activity mainly involves the southeastern crater, which was created in 1971 from a series of fractures.
THANK YOU FOR THE RATE
Etna rises 3,350 meters above sea level and has a diameter of 35 kilometers, although volcanic activity has changed the height of the mountain over time.
Occasionally, the airport in Catania, the largest city in eastern Sicily, must close for hours or days, when the ashes in the air make the flight in the area dangerous. At the beginning of this recent period of eruptive activity, the airport closed briefly.
But for pilots and passengers flying to and from Catania at night when the volcano is calmer, a bright red glance in the dark sky makes for an interesting sight.
LIVE WITH A VOLCANO
With Etna’s lava flows contained largely by its uninhabited slopes, life goes on in towns and villages elsewhere on the mountain. Sometimes, as in recent days, lava stones rain on the streets, bounce off cars and cover with a rattle.
But many residents generally find it a small inconvenience when weighed against the benefits of the volcano. Lava flows left fertile farmland. Apples and citrus bloom. Etna red and white are some of the most popular wines in Sicily, from grapes grown on volcanic slopes.
Tourism earns income. Hikers and hikers often enjoy views of the mountain and the bright Ionian Sea below. For skiers who want crowded slopes, Etna is a favorite.
MAY BE DEAD
Inspired by ancient Greek legends, Etna had dozens of known eruptions in its history. An eruption in 396 BC. was credited with keeping the Carthaginian army at bay.
In 1669, in what was considered the worst known eruption of the volcano, lava buried an area of Catania, about 23 kilometers away and devastated dozens of villages. A 1928 eruption disrupted a railway surrounding the base of the mountain.
More recently, in 1983, dynamite was used to deflect lava threatening inhabited areas. In 1992, the army built an earth wall to contain lava, which has been flowing from Etna for months, from hitting Zafferana to Etnea, a village of several thousand people. At one point, the smoking lava stopped two kilometers (just over a mile) from the edge of town.
In the last century, a hiccup in geological time, explosive eruptions with low energy consumption and lava flows, both fed from the top and side orifices, have characterized Etna.