Italy’s Mount Etna roared to life early Monday in a dramatic eruption that sent plumes of ash, smoke, and pyroclastic flows down its slopes, forcing people on the volcano to flee for safety.
According to the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the eruption began in the pre-dawn hours with intense strombolian activity—a type of eruption marked by rhythmic, explosive bursts of lava. The eruption escalated to lava fountains and fast-moving pyroclastic flows, which are deadly clouds of hot gas and volcanic debris.
Footage from the scene shows smoke towering into the sky as people scramble down the mountain, evading ashfall and encroaching flows. Fortunately, the INGV reports that the pyroclastic flows remained within the Valley of the Lion (Valle del Leone) and didn’t impact nearby towns. The flow was likely caused by the collapse of unstable material on the northern slope of the Southeast Crater.
Ashfall was recorded in several areas, including Piano Vetore, Cesarò, and Bronte. The explosive activity ended about 10 hours after it began, and INGV teams are now working to map out the deposits left behind.
Towering over 11,000 feet, Mount Etna is Europe’s tallest and most active volcano, located where the African and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. It has a well-documented eruption history dating back to 425 B.C., making it one of the world’s oldest recorded active volcanoes.
While Monday’s eruption caused panic among visitors, no injuries were reported. The event serves as a powerful reminder of Etna’s persistent activity and the importance of ongoing monitoring in this geologically volatile region.
