ROME (AP) – A particularly spectacular explosion of the Etna volcano in Italy sent a towering cloud of ash and lava rock to Sicilian villages on Sunday, the latest in a series of explosions since mid-February.
The Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology INGV said the powerful explosion at 2 a.m. was the 10th of such a major explosion since February 16, when Europe’s most active volcano began an impressive demonstration of nature’s firepower. and the night sky turned in shocking shades of orange. and red.
Increasing vibrations rattled the mountain most of the night. Ash and small lava rocks rained down on eight villages on the slopes of Mount Etna on Sunday morning, while lava from the southeastern crater slowly flowed down an uninhabited side, as it has done for the past three weeks, the institute said.
The column of ash and lava reached a height of 10,000 meters (33,000 feet) on Sunday, according to scientists tracking volcanic activity with specialized instruments from an observatory on Mount Etna in eastern Sicily.
Locals swept ash and lava rocks from the front steps and balconies. They’ve covered parked cars with carpets, blankets, and sheets of cardboard to make cleaning up easier after each blast. Winds helped carry the ashes eastward, INGV said.
No injuries or serious damage were reported after the recent blast. Geologically active, Etna gets particularly noisy and explosive at times, just like lately.
By mid-morning, Etna’s last display of activity had slowed down somewhat when the lava flow ended, although the volcano is still blowing a “faint emission of ash” from the southeastern crater. A few hours later, the volcanic tremors increased again, INGV said in a statement.
The INGV scientists say there is no way to predict when this current round of particularly robust volcanic activity could decline.