When was the last Mount Etna eruption? Volcanic blast reportedly sends tourists fleeing in Italy

Mount Etna frightened tourists in the early hours of Wednesday when its southeastern crater erupted with an explosion, sending lava gushing out, coupled with plumes of gas and ash.

Local outlet Ara has reported that the snow-capped crater erupted at altitudes of 1,500 feet and rose to 1,000 feet above the crater's vents. Tourists were spotted frantically fleeing for their lives amid the eruption on Sicily. BBC has reported that Etna is one of Europe's most active volcanoes, though its eruptions seldom cause notable damage.

Britannica has reported that the last eruption to take place at Mount Etna in the 21st century was in back February, with one even taking place in 2021. However, its last major eruption took place in 1992. Permanent volcano observatories have since been established near Etna, allowing for an early warning sign to be issued, if need be.

The aftermath of volcanic activity at Mount Etna explored:

Mount Etna, which once made an appearance in a Star Wars movie, is 10,900 feet tall, and has a base circumference of about 93 miles. The volcano had reportedly been rumbling all day before it had an outburst.

Per the Independent, Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology issued a statement noting that Mount Etna's volcano had been showing signs of strong strombolian explosions, which are irregular interruptions that can vary in intensity.

“Over the past few hours, the activity flagged in the previous statement issued at 4.14am [3.14am BST] has carried on with strombolian explosions of growing intensity that, at the moment, are of strong intensity and nearly continuous,” the statement said of Mount Etna. "Over the past few hours, the falling of a little thin ash has been flagged in the Piano Vetore area."

LBC has reported that the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center, Toulouse (VAAC) had issued a brief warning, "code red," for aviation as a result of the eruption. They noted that an ash cloud, made up mainly of water and sulphur dioxide, was 'drifting towards the south west'. It had reportedly peaked at an altitude of 6,400 metres.

The alert warned pilots and air traffic controllers about the potential dangers of volcanic eruptions, though Yahoo! News has reported that this has since calmed down to a code orange.

Per the outlet, the UK's Foreign Office has since issued a cautionary statement to all tourists in the area:

"Due to volcanic activity, local authorities have increased the alert levels for both Etna and Stromboli in the south of Italy. In the event of a volcanic eruption, follow the advice of local authorities. Airspace can be affected during eruptions. If you are travelling to or from Catania during this period of heightened activity, check with your travel provider or with Catania airport. There are several active volcanoes in southern Italy. National emergency planning has been updated for Vesuvius as well as the Phlegraean fields, an area that remains active and which has experienced tremors in 2024. Read what to do in the event of a volcanic eruption and follow the instructions of the local authorities."

LBC has reported that a live stream of Mount Etna's volcano indicates that the eruption has since settled down, though the neighboring town of Catania has since been blanketed by a thick sky of ash.

The Independent has reported that in addition to the smoke and lava, volcanoes also release toxic gases, which can be odourless and invisible to the naked eye. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention states that

“breathing in volcanic gases at high concentrations can cause mild symptoms, such as irritation of the eyes, and more severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing or even death”.

The US CDC also notes that most of the side effects caused by volcanic particles and gases can be short-term, which include eye and airway irritation, vomiting, giddiness, and headaches, among others.

“Acute exposures to certain volcanic gases can also lead to unconsciousness within minutes and eventually death," the CDC states.

Trending

Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more news.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback