THE’Etna the eruptive activity continues, extending the suspension of flights arriving at Catania airport until 5pm today, 10 August. The inspections carried out over the weekend by the staff ofINGV-OE (Etna Observatory), combined with the analysis of images of cameras Of surveillance and data from multiparametric networkshighlight how the Strombolian-type explosive activity al Crater Voragine which began last August 6 and continued incessantly throughout the weekend, albeit with variable intensity over time. But what is the situation now? To clarify, let’s analyze the latest reports published by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.
During the most intense phases, a significant relapse was observed pyroclastic material And bombs volcanic in the summit area, as well as an abundant and continuous emission of ash dispersed towards the South-South-East. This phenomenon has caused quite a few inconveniences in the piedmont municipalities affected by the phenomenon, leading several local administrations to issue urgent ordinances to limit the speed of vehicles and ban the circulation of two-wheeled vehicles, in order to prevent dangerous road accidents. The mouths effusive at altitude 2750 And 2360 meters are still active and, in the last few hours, the improvement in weather conditions has allowed us to precisely confirm the certification of the lava front at approximately 1500 meters above sea levelat the base of the north face of the Valle del Bove (Monte Rinatu area). The average amplitude of the volcanic tremor, constantly monitored by local seismic stations, remained at high values.
As regards aeronautical operations and transport safety, the Catania airport management and the Crisis Unit have arranged the closure prudential of the sectors of airspace affected by the passage of the volcanic cloud. Specifically, to guarantee the highest safety standards, arrivals are suspended until 5pm todaywhile departures may be subject to significant delays or rescheduling at other airports. Passengers are therefore invited to check the updated status of their flight directly with the airline or through the airport’s official channels before going to the airport, thus avoiding unnecessary overcrowding inside the terminal.
