Mount Etna, one of Italy’s two active volcanoes, began an eruption on the night of February 27, sending flame, smoke and lava into the air, continuing into the morning.
The eruption was visible from the cities of Catania and Taormina; the volcano is Catania’s next-door neighbor. While a flurry of volcanic activity in January led to some schools being briefly evacuated, scientists at Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology say that this eruption is not a danger to people or property. At least for now.
Volcanologists are classing the eruption as ‘Strombolian’ – a category characterized by explosive bursts of activity during which cinder, ash and smoke are ejected from the crater with great force.
Italy’s other active volcano, Mount Vesuvius, near Naples has also shown signs of activity in recent months, and some observers see the city as being in possible danger over the next years. Vesuvius is the volcano that destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii.
Here’s a video of the Etna eruption posted on Facebook:
