Lava explosions and cities buried under ash – the reaction of the authorities

Ash falls on surrounding cities – authorities lower the warning level

Explosions were seen and heard repeatedly over the weekend. Ash fell on several towns in the region, such as Milo and Zafferana Etnea. However, there was no significant damage. Operations also continued at Catania Island Airport. Due to the developments of the volcano, the authorities lowered the air traffic warning level from red to orange.

Etna was last active in October, when mysterious curls of smoke were observed. Even in August, it spewed huge fountains of fire. Catania Airport was closed at that time due to pollution on the runway.

Mount Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe. The exact elevation changes again and again due to eruptions and volcanic cones. Compared to other volcanoes, it is considered relatively harmless because frequent eruptions usually generate little force. Even more worrying is when an active volcano remains dormant for a longer period of time, as is the case with Vesuvius near Naples. The last eruption there was several decades ago. If it erupts, it could pose a danger to hundreds of thousands of people, something that is unlikely to happen with Etna. (CGSC with EPA)