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WATCH: Lava flows into the sea as Italy’s Stromboli volcano erupts

The volcano on the island of Stromboli erupted again on Monday morning, sending lava cascading into the sea and causing mini ‘tsunami’ waves.

Published: 10 October 2022 10:30 CEST
WATCH: Lava flows into the sea as Italy’s Stromboli volcano erupts
Stromboli, one of Europe's most active volcanoes, is part of the seven-island Eolian Archipelago of Sicily in southern italy. Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP

Clouds of smoke covered the volcanic island of Stromboli again on Monday morning, but there were no reports of casualties or damage from the latest eruption, recorded at around 4am on Monday morning by Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).

This followed an eruption on Sunday which led Italian civil protection authorities to raise the alert level from yellow to orange on the small island, which is part of the Aeolian archipelago off northern Sicily.

As with the eruption on Sunday, Monday morning’s explosion sent plumes of smoke and ash into the air and waves described as ‘mini tsunamis’ in local media.

Volcanologists said the eruption and fast-moving lava flow into the sea triggered seismic waves registered by the tsunami warning system.

A timelapse video of the eruption on Sunday shared by Marco Pistolesi, Professor of Volcanology at the University of Pisa, showed the dramatic moment a heavy stream of lava collided with the sea after a “partial collapse of the crater rim”.

The Stromboli volcano is one of the most active on the planet, and has been erupting almost continuously for the past 90 years.

Authorities on the island said they were well prepared for a major eruption.

“We are absolutely prepared,” Mayor of Lipari Riccardo Gullo told Italian news agency Adnkronos, adding that there were “about 600 people on the island, including residents and tourists” but that there was currently no cause for concern in the inhabited areas.

People were however advised to stay indoors and keep away from windows and glass doors as the civil protection agency raised the volcanic activity alert level from yellow to orange.

Boats were also warned to keep a greater distance from the coast, but Gullo stressed that ferry services to and from the island continued for now.

“We will evaluate if it is necessary to move some ships to ensure a possible evacuation of the island but I repeat: we are prepared,” he said.

“There has been no stop to the hydrofoils and tourists continue to arrive on the island to attend this show.”

In 2002 a huge explosion on Stromboli caused a tidal wave, and in 2019 a tourist died in a powerful eruption that covered the island in ash.

The island of Stromboli, 12 square kilometres (4.6 square miles) in area and 924 metres (3,000 feet) high, is just the top of a volcano that is largely underwater.

It is one of few in the world with almost continuous activity, according to INGV.

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VOLCANO

IN PICTURES: Sicily’s Mount Etna puffs ‘smoke rings’ in rare show

Near-perfect circles of gas emerged from Mount Etna in a rare display captured on camera by residents and tourists over the weekend.

Published: 8 April 2024 09:46 CEST
IN PICTURES: Sicily's Mount Etna puffs 'smoke rings' in rare show

A new crater opened on the summit of Europe’s largest active volcano leading to an unusual display of ‘smoke rings’, with thousands recorded in recent days, reported La Repubblica.

Boris Behncke, researcher at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) in Catania, said they were called “volcanic vortex rings”, rings of volcanic gas emitted by Etna “more than any other volcano on earth”.

The rare phenomenon occurs only in very specific conditions generated by a constant release of gas and vapours.

The volcano has emitted thousands of spectacular rings since last Tuesday, which has led local media to dub it Lady of the Rings (or Signora degli Anelli in Italian). 

Experts have said the rings are harmless and aren’t necessarily a prelude to an imminent eruption.

A volcanic tremor and “about six summit explosive events” were recorded below the volcano’s southern crater on Sunday afternoon, INGV said.

Other major emissions of rings occurred in February 2000 and July 2023.

At 3,324 metres (nearly 11,000 feet), Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe and eruptions have been frequent over the past 500,000 years.

Last May, the volcano released large amounts of volcanic ash and smoke in the air, forcing local airport authorities to halt all flights to and from the nearby airport of Catania, a popular tourist destination in eastern Sicily.

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