Video footage taken today, March 15, 2017, following the resumption of eruptive activity at Etna's New South-East Crater, two weeks after the last eruptive episode.
The first scene, taken at dawn from Tremestieri Etneo, a town 20 km south of the top of Etna, shows a weak Strombolian activity, very similar to what was observed before the previous eruptive episode, about two weeks ago (February 27 - March 1, 2017).
The second scene, taken from the town of Nicolosi, 15 km south of the top of Etna, shows the beginning of the most energetic activity, with almost continuous explosions and the emission of modest quantities of volcanic ash. There is also a lava flow descending on the southern flank of the New Southeast Crater.
In the third scene, in the foreground, a ski lift on the high southern slope of the volcano and in the background the eruptive activity. The shots were taken near the arrival station of the Etna cableway at an altitude of 2500 m. Here the activity has further intensified.
At an altitude of 3000 m, just 1 km away from the erupting crater, incandescent lava jets can be seen reaching 150-200 m in height.
Author of video footage: Boris Behncke, researcher at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV)