ROME (AP) – Mount Etna, the volcano that towers over eastern Sicily, evokes superlatives. It is the most active volcano in Europe and also the largest on the continent.
And the fiery, boisterous show of power that he occasionally holds for days or weeks, even years, is always super spectacular. Fortunately, Etna’s latest eruption that catches the world’s attention has caused neither injuries nor evacuation.
But every time it roars back into dramatic action, it surprises onlookers and awe geologists who spend their careers monitoring every thrill, rumble and burp.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
On February 16, Mount Etna erupted, pushing up tall lava fountains, which rolled down the mountain’s eastern slope to the uninhabited Bove Valley, which is three miles wide and five miles long. The volcano has eroded ashes and lava rocks that trickled down the south face.
The activity has continued since then, in more or less intense eruptions. The flaming lava illuminates the night sky in shocking shades of orange and red. There’s no telling how long this exciting activity will last, say volcanologists working at the Etna Observatory operated by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.
While the public fascination began with the first dramatic images this month, the explosive activity started in September 2019, and got much stronger two months ago. Current activity is mainly the southeastern crater, which was created in 1971 from a series of faults.
HARD TO MISS
Etna towers 3,350 meters (about 11,050 feet) above sea level and is 35 kilometers (22 miles) in diameter, although volcanic activity has altered the mountain’s height over time.
From time to time, Catania Airport, the largest city in eastern Sicily, has to close for hours or days when ash in the air makes flying in the area dangerous. At the beginning of this recent period of eruptive activity, the airport has been briefly closed.
But for pilots and passengers flying to and from Catania at night when the volcano is calmer, a glimpse of fiery red in the dark sky makes for an exciting sight.
LIVING WITH A VOLCANO
With the lava flows of Mount Etna largely enclosed on the uninhabited slopes, life in towns and villages elsewhere on the mountain continues. Sometimes, as in recent days, lava rocks rain down on streets, bounce off cars, and roofs rattle.
But many residents generally find that to be a minor inconvenience when weighed against the volcano’s benefits. Lava flows have left fertile farmland. Apple and citrus trees bloom. Etna red and white are some of Sicily’s most popular wines, from grapes grown on the volcanic slopes.
Tourism generates income. Hikers and backpackers enjoy the view of the often chugging mountain and the sparkling Ionian Sea below. For skiers who want gentle slopes, Mount Etna is a favorite.
IT CAN KILL
Mount Etna inspired ancient Greek legends and has had numerous known eruptions throughout its history. An eruption in 396 BC is said to have kept Carthage’s army at bay.
In 1669, in what is believed to be the volcano’s most famous eruption, lava buried a strip of Catania about 23 kilometers (15 miles) away, destroying dozens of villages. An eruption in 1928 cut off a railway line that circled the base of the mountain.
More recently, in 1983, dynamite was used to divert lava-threatening inhabited areas. In 1992, the military built an earth wall to contain the lava that has poured out of Mount Etna for months and hit Zafferana Etnea, a village of a few thousand inhabitants. At one point, the smoking lava stopped two kilometers (just over a mile) from the outskirts of the city.
Over the past century, a hiccup in geological time, low-energy explosive eruptions and lava flows, both fed from the top and side vents, have characterized Mount Etna.