Etna, February 16, 2021. New paroxysm from the South-East Crater

Pyroclastic flow from the South-East Crater towards the Valle del Bove, 17:06 local time Eruptive column seen from Tremestieri Etneo (southern slope of Etna, 17 pm Emission of ash and lava flows after the end of the lava fountain activity, seen from Santa Venerina (south-eastern side of Etna), 18 pm

In the late afternoon of 16 February there was a new paroxysmal episode of Etna's volcanic activity, with the generation of high lava fountains and the formation of numerous lava flows which spread towards the desert Valle del Bove, on the eastern side of the volcano. The eruptive column generated by the phenomenon also determined the fallout of ash and lapilli in the southern sector of the volcano. In recent weeks, the summit craters of Etna have been the site of almost continuous explosive activity, especially at the South-East Crater. In recent days, in fact, the vents in the eastern sector of the South-East Crater of the volcano have shown lively Strombolian activity, which has led to the rapid growth of a scoria cone, upstream of a steep slope. Between 16:00 and 17:00 in the afternoon of February 16, a progressive increase in explosive activity was observed, repeatedly accompanied by the sliding of incandescent material on the eastern side of the cone. At 17:03 a more voluminous collapse occurred on the eastern flank of the cone, which generated a pyroclastic flow that traveled about 1.5 km on the steep western wall of the Valle del Bove. Minutes later the explosive activity at Southeast Crater rapidly increased producing lava fountains several hundred meters high. Simultaneously, a lava flow poured into the area affected by the pyroclastic flow, reaching the bottom of the Valle del Bove in about 15 minutes. The volcanic activity has also produced several smaller lava flows, which have always pushed on the western side of the Valle del Bove. The eruptive column caused by the paroxysm and loaded with ash and lapilli rose a few kilometers above the top of the volcano and, pushed by the wind towards the south, caused the fallout of the pyroclastic material on the inhabited centers as far as Catania and in the Syracuse area, dozens of kilometers away from Etna. Shortly before 18:00, the lava fountain rapidly decreased in height and by 18:00 the paroxysm was essentially over. Subsequently, for about half an hour, a weak ash emission continued while the lava flows showed a slow advance. From the images recorded by the surveillance cameras it is evident that the scoria cone that grew on the eastern mouths of the South-East Crater was destroyed during the paroxysm. Paroxysmal episodes are a typical phenomenon of the recent eruptive activity of Etna. From 1977 to today, hundreds of episodes similar to today's have occurred, including the exceptional sequence of 66 paroxysms between January and August 2000, and about fifty paroxysms between 2011 and 2013. Etna's activity is constantly monitored by the INGV Etna Observatory in Catania. In the evening, staff from the INGV Etna Observatory went to the affected area to collect samples of the products emitted during today's paroxysm.