SICILY, Italy – Molten lava burst out of Voragine with force volcanic crater on the majestic Etna along the east coast of Sicily, Italyon Thursday.
After three weeks of steadily increasing volcanic activity, a violent Strombolian eruption sent a volcanic plume over 5 kilometers into the air. It was a dramatic spectacle.
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According to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), Strombolian activity is a volcanic eruption at relatively low altitude, releasing a modest amount of energy.
Authorities closed Catania airport in Sicily on Thursday after streams of red-hot lava spewed from Mount Etna, blanketing the sky with black smoke and ash. Nearby towns were also covered in layers of ash, and people in Catania were seen sweeping ash from the streets.
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The INGV published images showing the spectacular sights.
Mount Etna, a very active volcano worldwide, is located on the convergent plate boundary where the African Plate meets the Eurasian Plate. This towering peak is one of Europe’s highest active volcanoes and the highest point in Italy south of the Alps, currently over 11,000 feet high.
Etna is also believed to have the longest documented history of eruptions of any volcano, with records dating back to 425 BC.
Source original article: Italy’s Etna erupts in fiery eruption as lava spurts from crater above Sicily
