New and intense explosive activity at the Voragine crater of Etna

New and intense explosive activity is present in the Voragine crater of Etna. The volcanic tremor, which signals the energy present in the internal magmatic conduits, is rising and remains at very high values. This is what emerges from the online monitoring system of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etna Observatory, in Catania. The aviation notice, the Vona (Volcano observatory notice for aviation), issued by the INGV, has currently remained orange.

The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etna Observatory, of Catania, communicates that "the effusive activity continues from the vents at an altitude of 2,750 1,990 meters above sea level" and that "the most advanced front of the lava flows stands at an altitude of 1,395 metres, between Rocca delle Palombe and Rocca Musarra". "From 09.40 to 12.40 - we read in the INGV note - a series of short-lived explosions occurred from the North-East crater which generated a plume of ash which dispersed in the summit area in a South-East direction. At 18.22 Strombolian activity resumed at the Voragine crater. Subsequently, starting from 18.45, the emission activity intensified of ash to the North-East crater. From a seismic point of view, since late yesterday evening the average amplitude of the volcanic tremor has shown wide oscillations between low and medium values, growing increasingly in amplitude. In the last hours of today - continues the INGV note - the increase has been increasingly marked and from around 6pm the amplitude of the tremor has gone from the range of medium to high values. The centroids of the tremor sources are located between the North-East craters and Voragine, at an altitude between 2,800 and 3,000 meters above sea level".