Etna has been very active so far this year. Now the volcano has erupted again on the Italian island. The agricultural association warns of a “nightmare” for the fields.
Catania – The Etna volcano erupted again on the Italian island of Sicily. In the early morning hours, increased activity was measured, said the national institute for geophysics and volcanology.
The photos showed how lava and ash seeped out of the crater on the south-east side. The gray column of smoke rose far into the sky. There were initially no reports of major damage, in some places there were reports of ash raining down.
The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etneo Observatory, reports that at 05.40 UTC the amplitude of the volcanic tremor is high.
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In the photos: Strombolian activity; puffs and steam ring, October 23, 2021 pic.twitter.com/Ja25lQP18I
– INGVvulcani (@INGVvulcani) October 23, 2021
Etna, which is more than 3350 meters high, has been very active so far this year. Since mid-February it broke out regularly and sometimes spectacularly. 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.
The Coldiretti Agricultural Association spoke of the “nightmare” returning to the Sicilian fields. The ashes cause damage to the cultivated areas. Standards are needed that protect farmers. The cleaning of the fields takes time, water and thus massive labor input at unacceptable costs. dpa
