Spectacular Mount Etna eruptions baffle volcano scientists

Europe’s most active volcano has been erupting for more than a week, creating spectacular images of lava, ash and volcanic rocks lighting up the Sicilian sky at night.

Mount Etna’s latest eruption overnight petered out on Tuesday morning, according to Italy’s National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology.

BREAKING: Mount Etna is erupting again and illuminating the Sicilian sky ? The eruption began earlier this week. Etna is Europe’s most active volcano. The last major eruption was in 1992.#MountEtna | #Volcano | #Italy | #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/mbLK5es3oU

— Guesser (@guesser) February 24, 2021

Rivers of lava were seen gushing from the volcano’s southeast crater, with clouds of debris rising several kilometres above its summit.

The red and orange glow of the magma resulted in mesmerising photographs. Nearby Catania Airport was forced to close temporarily due to the amount of ash being spewed forth from Mount Etna.

Residents in the town of Pedara said during one day last week, it appeared as though it were raining rocks as a thick blanket of ash covered the town.

A number of Sicilians in view of the volcano and its huge clouds of ash posted photos and videos of the phenomenon, describing it was “majestic” and “spectacular”.

Volcanologist Boris Behncke, of the national institute’s Etna observation centre, said the volcano had been “gifting us moments of suspense” over the past few nights.

Stanotte l’Etna ha dato di nuovo spettacolo #Etna pic.twitter.com/38OR5spYg5

— Shirley (@__speech_less_) February 23, 2021

He wrote on the institute’s website that Etna’s final eruption happened in a way that “those of us who have worked in this for decades have rarely seen.”

He tweeted on Tuesday: “Did I call the 20-21 February paroxysm of Etna ‘incredibly powerful? Well, its successor, in the night of 22-23 February, was MUCH more powerful.“

In a separate tweet, he posted a slow-mo video of Etna’s eruption overnight, adding: “Amazingly tall (more than 1,500m) lava fountains and spectacular ‘fountain fan’ during Etna’s violent paroxysm during the night of 22-23 February.”

Amazingly tall (more than 1500 m) lava fountains and spectacular “fountain fan” during #Etna‘s violent paroxysm during the night of 22-23 February 2021. View from our home in Tremestieri Etneo. pic.twitter.com/r4ako7UXjr

— Boris Behncke (@etnaboris) February 23, 2021

The intense activity of Sicily’s Mount Etna continues. A few days ago it erupted for the fourth time in four days.

You can also follow us on Facebook and/ or Twitter. And, by the way you can also make a donation through Paypal. Thank you!

You should really subscribe to QFiles. You will get very interesting information about strange events around the world.