Mount Etna is the most active volcano in Europe, located in Catania, a city on the island of Sicily, Italy. It is also Europe’s highest active volcano, with its topmost elevation approximately 10,900 feet (3,320 metres).
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The volcano erupted yesterday, Sunday 21 May, spewing ash on Catania and at least one town on Mount Etna’s slopes, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). There were no injuries reported.
Volcanic ash covers Catania
Residents of the towns Adrano and Biancavilla said they heard loud booms coming from the volcano on Sunday, as reported by Italian news agency ANSA.
Photos and videos in Italian media showed a smoggy looking cloud blanketing streets and dark, gritty ash covering people's homes and cars.
Ash also covered Catania Airport’s runways, temporarily suspending flights to and from the popular tourist destination until normal safety conditions could be guaranteed, the airport wrote on Twitter. Flights reportedly resumed at 9am today, Monday 22 May.
The effects of the "secret" paroxysm at #Etna's Southeast Crater on 21 May 2023. Invisible due to horrible weather conditions, the event showered the SW flank of the volcano with ash and lapilli. Ash later fell also on the south flank, interrupting operations at Catania airport pic.twitter.com/m9f1YE5XAH
— Boris Behncke (@etnaboris) May 21, 2023
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Mount Etna is a Decade Volcano
The INGV revealed that its monitoring had recorded evidence of an increase in tremor activity in recent days.
Italy’s national Civil Protection agency issued an alert on Thursday 18 May that due to increased volcanic activity, 'sudden' variations of Etna’s activity could take place.
As a result of its recent activity and risk to nearby populations, Mount Etna has been included on the list of 16 Decade Volcanoes worldwide, a designation given by the United Nations to volcanoes that demonstrate more than one volcanic hazard.
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Flights grounded as Mount Etna coats Catania in thick layer of ash https://t.co/d5IPuygruBpic.twitter.com/VbF0DrPM2B
— Independent Lifestyle (@IndyLife) May 22, 2023
Sources used:
Britannica: 'Mount Etna'
AP: 'Mount Etna volcano erupts, raining ash on Catania, forcing flight suspension at local airport'
Reuters: 'Mount Etna eruption halts flights to Sicily's Catania airport'
Independent: 'Flights stopped as Mount Etna eruptions coat Catania city and airport in thick layer of ash'
Sky News: 'Flights to Sicily suspended as Mount Etna spews volcanic ash onto runway'
