NewsEtna in Sicily: volcanic eruption as a "nightmare"

Etna in Sicily: volcanic eruption as a "nightmare"

Etna has been keeping Sicily in suspense since the beginning of the year. Now the volcano in Italy is waking up again – at the same time as a “hurricane”.

Update from Thursday, October 28, 2021, 11.00 a.m.: Not far from the Etna volcano, a strong storm is currently raging. Since Sunday (October 24th, 2021) a persistent low pressure area has caused enormous rainfalls and thunderstorms. The city of Catania is particularly affected. Numerous streets were turned into raging rivers. Two people have already died. Catania is only around 35 kilometers away from Etna, which broke out almost at the same time as the storms on Sunday (see first report).

Around 600 liters per square meter were measured at a measuring station near the volcano between Sunday and Tuesday, as meteorologist Sebastian Altnau from the German Weather Service of the Frankfurter Rundschau explains. “A topographical congestion component certainly played a role here,” said the DWD expert. For comparison: Such amounts of water were sometimes found in the city of Catania in one day. In a broader area around the volcano, between 150 and 300 liters per square meter were measured on average.

Volcanic eruption in Sicily: Etna spits lava – strong storm in Catania without consequences

The persistent low pressure area in the Mediterranean, which has meanwhile been declared a “hurricane”, has no impact on the further volcanic activity of Etna. “The storm has no effect on the further outbreak. There is no known interaction here, ”said DWD expert Altnau.

Rauschschwaden steigen aus dem Vulkan Ätna auf.

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The Etna volcano on the Italian island of Sicily has erupted again. (Archive photo)

He predicts, however, that the weather situation will persist for the time being: “According to current forecasts, the low will continue to intensify until Friday and take on tropical traits.” Persistent heavy rains are expected on the Italian island of Sicily until Sunday.

First report from Sunday, October 24th, 2021, 9:30 p.m .: Catania – Once again, the Etna volcano erupted on the Italian island of Sicily. The national institute for geophysics and volcanology (INGV) announced on Saturday (23.10.2021) that increased activity was measured in the early morning hours.

Photos showed how lava and ash seeped out of the crater on the southeast side. The gray column of smoke rose far into the sky. There were initially no reports of major damage, in some cases there were reports of ash raining down.

Etna volcano in Italy: The mountain has been very active for months

After a little less than a month there was another eruption at the southeast crater of Etna, wrote the INGV in a blog post. It was the 52nd this year since February 16. After a few explosions, a cloud of smoke rose for kilometers into the sky and was driven by the wind to the northeast as far as Calabria on the mainland. A resident south of Mount Etna told the German press agency that the outbreak was not felt so strongly where she lived.

Etna, which is more than 3,350 meters high, has been very active so far this year. Since mid-February it broke out regularly and sometimes spectacularly. Satellite images revealed: Due to the many eruptions, the Italian volcano became even larger.

Vulkan Ätna auf Sizilien

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The Etna volcano on the Italian island of Sicily has been very active for months. (Archive image)

The ash raining down is often a problem for people in the area, and the airport in the city of Catania at the foot of Mount Etna had to temporarily shut down in the past because the runway was dirty. In September, the Sicilian government promised the municipalities two million euros in aid for the ash damage.

“Nightmare” for agriculture: Etna volcano in Italy has erupted again

The Coldiretti Agricultural Association spoke on Saturday that the “nightmare” was returning to the Sicilian fields. The ashes cause damage to the cultivated areas. Norms are needed that protect the farmers inside. The cleaning of the fields takes time, water and therefore a lot of work at barely affordable costs.

Another volcanic eruption has been keeping Europe in suspense for weeks. The volcano Cumbre Vieja on La Palma spits lava. Part of the island has been destroyed and thousands are homeless. The government holds out the prospect of further aid. (tvd / tu with AFP / dpa)

Heading image: © Davide Anastasi / dpa

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