by Milan (AP) – Mount Etna, the volcano, which is enthroned over Eastern Sicily, has again tied up the world with a spectacular show, smoke and spit on the sky.
However, the decisive event of the outbreak on Monday was the rarer pyroclastic river from the southwestern crater, which was not visible from afar.
The volcano is the most active and the largest in the continent. Etna attracts hikers and backpackers on his slopes, while less adventurous tourists can absorb them from a distance that are most breathtaking from the Ionian Sea.
The latest outbreak from ETNA did not cause any injuries or evacuations, but sent a group of tourists on the flanks that were recorded by video that were published in the background on social media at social media.
The authorities emphasized that the population was not at risk, and the pyroclastic river-one, quickly moving mixture of rock fragments, gas and ashes-war limited to about 2 kilometers (more than one mile) and did not go beyond the Valle del Leone or the lionvalley, which forms a natural containment.
Etna has been active lately and this was the 14th episode since mid -March. The latest pyroclastic rivers with a significant range were recorded on February 10, 2022, October 23, 2021, December 13, 2020 and February 11, 2014, said Marco Viccaro, President of the Italy National Vulcanology Association, on Tuesday.
What happens now?
After a 19-day break, Etna began with lively explosive gas and ash outbreaks, followed by a mild lava stream on the eastern slope, followed by a smaller river to the south.
On Monday at around 10 a.m., ETNA exploded with its first big, violent outbreak of the year: Lava fountain and a pillar of ash and gas rose several kilometers or miles in the air. The event reached around 11:23 a.m. when the pyroclastic river, which was mixed with snow, covered 2 kilometers (more than one mile) to the Valle del Leone within one minute.
In the late afternoon, scientists said that the event had decreased.
Imposing figure
Etna Towers around 3,350 meters (about 11,050 feet) above sea level and has a diameter of 35 kilometers (22 miles), although the volcanic activity has changed the height of the mountain over time.
Occasionally, the airport in Catania, the largest city in the Eastern Sicily, hours or days, has to close when the ashes in the air in the area makes dangerous. An aviation warning was introduced during the last event, but the airport was not closed.
With the lava flows from Etna, which are largely contained on its uninhabited, life in cities and villages goes on the mountain. On the advantages of the volcano: fertile arable land and tourism.
Fatal past
Etna inspiring old Greek legends has numerous well -known outbreaks in its history. An outbreak in 396 BC. BC was attributed to keep the army of Carthage in chess.
In 1669, in which the worst outbreak of the volcano, Lava buried a touch of Catania, about 23 kilometers away and destroyed dozens of villages. A outbreak in 1928 cut off a rail route that circled the base of the mountain.
