Italy’s Mount Etna erupts in fiery display as lava spews from crater over Sicily

Italy’s Mount Etna erupts in fiery display as lava spews from crater over Sicily

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Intense Strombolian activity made for fiery footage at Mount Etna, as lava spewed from the Voragine crater on July 3, 2024.

SICILY, Italy – Molten lava forcefully erupted from the Voragine volcanic crater on the majestic Mount Etna along the east coast of Sicily, Italy, on Thursday.

After three weeks of steadily intensifying volcanic activity, a violent Strombolian eruption sent a volcanic plume cloud over 3 miles into the sky in a dramatic display.

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A picture shows the eruption of the Mount Etna volcano on July 4, 2024 in Sicily.

A picture shows the eruption of the Mount Etna volcano on July 4, 2024 in Sicily.

(GIUSEPPE DISTEFANO/Etna Walk/AFP/AFP / Getty Images)

Strombolian activity is a relatively low-level volcanic eruption, during which a modest amount of energy is released, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) said.

Maxar Technologies collected new satellite imagery of Mount Etna that shows fresh lava and ongoing eruptions from the Voragine crater.

Maxar Technologies collected new satellite imagery of Mount Etna that shows fresh lava and ongoing eruptions from the Voragine crater. 

(Maxar Technologies)

Authorities closed Sicily’s Catania airport on Thursday after streams of red-hot lava spewed from Mount Etna covering the skies in black smoke and ash. Layers of ash also coated nearby towns and people in Catania were seen sweeping ash off the streets.

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  • A man cleaning the pavement of Via Etnea from the volcanic ash that has fallen during the volcanic eruption that is causing inconvenience to pedestrians and vehicles on July 05, 2024 in Catania, Italy.

    A man cleaning the pavement of Via Etnea from the volcanic ash that has fallen during the volcanic eruption that is causing inconvenience to pedestrians and vehicles on July 05, 2024 in Catania, Italy. (Fabrizio Villa)

  • In square Stesicoro, with the monument to the musician Vincenzo Bellini, the layer of volcanic ash that has covered the city's streets and pavements has made it dangerous for vehicles and pedestrians to circulate on July 5, 2024 in Catania, Italy.

    In square Stesicoro, with the monument to the musician Vincenzo Bellini, the layer of volcanic ash that has covered the city’s streets and pavements has made it dangerous for vehicles and pedestrians to circulate on July 5, 2024 in Catania, Italy. (Fabrizio Villa)

  • A cleaner cleaning pavements from the volcanic ash that fell during the volcano's paroxysmal phase on July 05, 2024 in Catania, Italy.

    A cleaner cleaning pavements from the volcanic ash that fell during the volcano’s paroxysmal phase on July 05, 2024 in Catania, Italy. (Fabrizio Villa)

  • A picture shows the eruption of the Mount Etna volcano on July 4, 2024 in Sicily.

    A picture shows the eruption of the Mount Etna volcano on July 4, 2024 in Sicily. (GIUSEPPE DISTEFANO/Etna Walk/AFP/AFP)

  • A picture shows the eruption of the Mount Etna volcano on July 5, 2024 in Sicily.

    A picture shows the eruption of the Mount Etna volcano on July 5, 2024 in Sicily. (GIUSEPPE DISTEFANO/Etna Walk/AFP)

Footage posted by the INGV shows the spectacular images. 

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Authorities closed Sicily’s Catania airport on Thursday, July 4, 2024, after streams of red-hot lava spewed from Mount Etna covering the skies in black smoke and ash.

Mount Etna, a highly active volcano worldwide, sits atop the convergent plate margin where the African Plate meets the Eurasian Plate. This towering peak stands as one of Europe’s tallest active volcanoes and the highest point in Italy south of the Alps, currently exceeding 11,000 feet in height.

Mount Etna is also believed to have the longest documented history of eruptions among all volcanoes, with records dating back to as early as 425 B.C.