Latest news from Etna volcano
Etna volcano (Sicily): New SE crater paroxysm #13
Saturday, Apr 27, 2013
After a long build-up phase of increasingly violent strombolian activity over several days, the 13th New SE crater paroxysm is occurring this evening. ... [more]
Etna volcano (Sicily): New SE crater paroxysm Nr 12
Saturday, Apr 20, 2013
After only 2 days since the previous eruption, the 12th paroxysm of the New SE crater occurred this afternoon. Following a build-up phase of strombolian explosions since yesterday, the eruption culminated with tall lava fountains and lava flows. ... [more]

Location map of Italy's most active volcanoes (Etna, Stromboli, Vesuvius, Vulcano, Lipari, Campi Flegrei)
Location map of Italy's most active volcanoes (Etna, Stromboli, Vesuvius, Vulcano, Lipari, Campi Flegrei)

Snow-covered Etna volcano with the fresh lava flows from 2002/03
Snow-covered Etna volcano with the fresh lava flows from 2002/03

Tours and other info

Etna volcano

Complex stratovolcano approx. 3350 m (changing due to eruptive activity)
Sicily, Italy, 37.75°N / 14.99°E
Current status: erupting (4 out of 5)
Etna webcams / live data
Last update: 27 Apr 2013
Typical eruption style: Effusive (lava flows) and mildly explosive (strombolian) eruptions. Both summit and frequent flank eruptions, the latter seem to be occurring in clusters lasting few to a few tens of years.
Etna volcano eruptions: Near continuously active; some major historic eruptions include 122 BC (explosive eruption from summit), 1669 AD (devastating flank eruption), 1787 (one of the most spectacular summit eruptions on record - lava fountains reportedly up to 3000 m high).
Eruptions since 1950 (f: flank / s: summit activity): 1950-51(f), 1952(s), 1953(s?), 1955-64(s), 1966-1970(s), 1966(f), 1971(f), 1971-1980(s), 1974(f), 1978(f), 1979(f), 1980-81(s), 1981 (f), 1983(f), 1984(s), 1985(f), 1986(s), 1987(f), 1987(s), 1989(f), 1989-1991(s), 1991-93(f), 1995-2001(s), 2001(f), 2002(s), 2002-03(f), 2004-2005 (f), 2006 (s), 2007 (s), 2008-2009 (f), 2010(s), 2011-ongoing(s)
  Eruption from Mt Etna volcano (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Etna Volcano Photos

Last earthquakes nearby:
TimeMag. / DepthDistanceLocation
Tue, 21 May
Tue, 21 May 01:24 UTCM 1.7 / 6.8 km11 km1.9 km N da Zafferana Etnea (CT)
Tue, 21 May 01:17 UTCM 1.3 / 6 km11 km1.8 km N da Zafferana Etnea (CT)
Tue, 21 May 00:33 UTCM 1.1 / 6.2 km11 km1.9 km N da Zafferana Etnea (CT)
Tue, 21 May 00:11 UTCM 1.1 / 5.1 km10 km1.7 km SW da Milo (CT)
Mon, 13 May
Mon, 13 May 17:52 UTCM 1.4 / 4.6 km13 km1.2 km NE da Ragalna (CT)
View all recent quakes
Mt Etna on Sicily, locally called "Mongibello", is Europe's largest and most active volcano. Its frequent eruptions are often accompanied by large lava flows, but rarely pose danger to inhabited areas. Etna is one of the volcanoes with the longest historic records of eruptions, going back more than 2000 years.

Background:

Mount Etna, towering above Catania, Sicily's second largest city, has one of the world's longest documented records of historical volcanism, dating back to 1500 BC. Historical lava flows cover much of the surface of this massive volcano, which makes it the highest and most voluminous in Italy. Ever since ancient times, the volcano seems to have been in near-constant activity. It is considered, after Kilauea on Hawaii, the second most active, i.e. productive volcano on earth.
Two styles of eruptive activity typically occur at Etna: (1) persistent explosive eruptions, sometimes with minor lava emissions, from one or more of the 4 prominent summit craters, the Bocca Nova, Voragine (the former Central Crater), NE Crater, and SE Crater (the latter formed in 1978). (2) Flank eruptions, typically with higher effusion rates, are less frequent and originate from fissures that open on the volcano's flanks. Such flank eruptions, such as the spectacular recent ones in 2001 and 2002-03 commonly form cinder cones, that dot the volcano in their hundreds.

Etna Photos:

Enormous lava bubbles burst within the crater with detonating booms, throwing truck-sized lava bombs to many hundreds meters in all directions. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Enormous lava bubbles burst within the crater with detonating booms, throwing truck-sized lava bombs to many hundreds meters in all directions. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
 A magnificient moment of the lava fountain. This photo was also featured in National Geographic's article about Etna (Feb 2002 issue). (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
A magnificient moment of the lava fountain. This photo was also featured in National Geographic's article about Etna (Feb 2002 issue). (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
 Bright strombolian eruption at Etna's SE crater in June 2001. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Bright strombolian eruption at Etna's SE crater in June 2001. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
At nightfall, the city lights of Catania start to shine like stars in a sea of blue light. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
At nightfall, the city lights of Catania start to shine like stars in a sea of blue light. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
 Soon, our group has reached the upper of the Monti Silvestri craters, born during a violent flank eruption of Etna in 1892. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Soon, our group has reached the upper of the Monti Silvestri craters, born during a violent flank eruption of Etna in 1892. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
 Exploding magma bubble (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Exploding magma bubble (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)



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Strong eruption with lava fountains at the southeast crater of Etna, February 2000
Strong eruption with lava fountains at the southeast crater of Etna, February 2000
Explosive flank eruption of Etna, September 2004
Explosive flank eruption of Etna, September 2004
Erupting crater and lava flow at Etna, September 2004
Erupting crater and lava flow at Etna, September 2004
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Etna Volcano Links:

INGV Catania / www.ct.ingv.it/Ufvg/Default.htm
Ufficial homepage of the Istituto Nazionale Di Geofisica e Vulcanologia - contains abundant information (in Italian) about volcanism, geology and the monitoring of Etna and the other volcanoes in Sicily as well as recent activity updates
Italy's volcanoes / boris.vulcanoetna.it/
THE largest, most comprehensive website about Etna (and other Italian volcanoes) available on the internet. Created and maintained by volcanologist Dr. Boris Behncke.
SOL's Etna pages / www.stromboli.net
Stromboli Online: a rich source of photo, video and other material on Stromboli, Etna and other volcanoes (M. Fulle, VolcanoDiscovery team member is co-author).
Etna Volcan Sicilien / www.volcans.info/
Charles Rivière maintains a website (in French), extremely up-to-date, with detailed information about Etna's activity and latest results on geochemical studies on recent Etna lavas conducted by research team around R. Clocchiatti..
decadevolcano.net / www.decadevolcano.net
Tom's private website, another source of unique photos, info and more from Etna and other volcanoes.
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