During the afternoon of yesterday, August 6, theEtna has resumed lively eruptive activity. As confirmed by the latest bulletin issued by INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology), the event was characterized by a strong phase explosive and from the formation of impressive lava fountainshave reached their peak of intensity between 11pm yesterday and 2am this morning. The phenomena were concentrated on the summit craters and in particular on the crater Chasm.
In addition to the pyroclastic flows and lava flows directed towards the Valle del Leone and the Valle del Bove, the eruption generated an extensive cloud volcanic. The winds at high altitude pushed the ashes towards South-South Westcausing the fall of lapilli and black sand on the inhabited centers of Ragalna And Adrano. The presence of ash on the roads has pushed the municipalities concerned to activate road safety protocols, recommending caution when driving and imposing speed limitations to avoid accidents due to slippery asphalt.
On the air traffic front, the emission of ash has forced the emission of code VONA (Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation) red. The Crisis Unit of the Catania-Fontanarossa airport has therefore blocked incoming flightshowever leaving the departures of the planes already present at the airport operational. During the early afternoon of today, however, the alert dropped to level orange. The airport has thus returned fully operational, although the authorities advise passengers to check the status of their flights with the airlines.
