On Thursday afternoon, an ash cloud over 4 kilometers high rose from the crater of Etna due to the activity of the Voragine crater. The column of steam and ash caused a lava plume to rain down on the south-east side of the volcano. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etneo Observatory, reported yesterday that surveillance cameras showed that the activity of the Voragine crater transformed into a lava fountain, producing a column reaching about 4,500 meters in height, spreading toward the south-east.
"The average tremor amplitude, after reaching its maximum value around 4:30 p.m., underwent a rapid decline until it returned to average values. Shortly before, a new phase of rapid increase brought the amplitude back to high values, where it still remains at very high values. Subsequently, a resumption of activity was observed, characterized by infrasonic events and tremor. These are located at the Voragine crater and the amplitude of the events is high. The analysis of the ground deformation data highlights a complex and still rapidly evolving 'pattern'".
Closure of airspaces B2 and B3 at the airport
The management company of Catania Airport announced today the suspension of arrivals and departures due to the eruption of Mount Etna.
"Due to the eruptive activity of Etna and the simultaneous emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the Crisis Unit has ordered the closure of airspace sectors B2 and B3," reads a statement from the Sicilian airport.
"The runway is unusable due to heavy volcanic ash fallout on the field and therefore both arrivals and departures are suspended," the note continues.
"Flight operations will resume once the volcanic ash has been removed from the pavements affected by aircraft movement. At the moment it is estimated that flight activities will be able to resume at 3:00 p.m.," the company said.
“Passengers are therefore asked not to go to the airport until they have checked the status of their flight with the airline,” the company concluded.
Following the heavy fallout of volcanic ash, with associated issues regarding road safety and the risk to public safety, Mayor Enrico Trantino has issued an ordinance prohibiting, for the next 48 hours, the circulation of two-wheeled vehicles (bicycles and motorcycles) and limiting the speed of motor vehicles to a maximum of 30 km/h on all roads in the municipality. The Municipality has also ordered that the volcanic sand, removed from private spaces, be deposited in small containers near homes. Urgent instructions have also been given to those responsible for city ecology, so that operations to remove the ash from the streets can begin immediately.
INGV's alert level lowered: from red to orange
In the meantime, the INGV Osservatorio Etneo in Catania has lowered the flight alert level, VONA, from red to orange, as there is no ash emission. Even the values of volcanic tremor, indicators of the energy of Etna's magma conduits, have "precipitated" during the night from the "red" to the "yellow" zone and are still decreasing, although at medium-high levels.
It is too early, of course, to say that the eruption is over; in fact, it is certainly not: it is just changing shape. Etna loves to surprise and it will be increasingly necessary to get used to this type of surprise from “Idda”, as the people of Catania affectionately call her, because for them Etna is a woman, she is “a Muntagna”, the Mountain, and they love her passionately.
