Europe's largest volcano erupts

Europe's largest volcano Mt Etna in Sicily has erupted spewing lava and billowing out ash. The volcano which stands 3329 metres high has gone through a spate of activity in which fire fountains up to 800m were seen, spewing out lava and there has also been some ashfall. Flights were unaffected by the ash but the ash cloud can be seen from space and is likely to cause disruption to local residents. Mt. Etna is one of only a handful of volcanoes on Earth that erupts nearly continuously and has an extensive documented historical record of its many eruptions for the past 400 years, with numerous other records dating back to several centuries B.C. Etna erupts numerous times in a year and there was numerous periods of activity at the same time last year with ash and lava. Compared to other eruptions that have occurred at Etna, this sort of eruption is relatively small.

 

Etna is an effusive volcano and isn't explosive, however there have been periods and events in which there was slight explosivity. The main threat with Mt Etna is that of lava, though it only travels slow the amount of lava that drains from the volcano can be significant, on occasions towns, houses and farmland have been destroyed by lava with some eruptions releasing 235x106m3 of lava and flows that reach 8.5km long! 

 

I have been to Mt Etna twice on a trip, its a huge mountain with much to see and do. I'll post a blog in a few weeks on my travels to Etna and other blogs on why there is a volcano at Sicily and its eruptions.

The eruptions at Mt Etna are likely to continue over the next few days and it is likely that further activity will occur over the next few months.

 

This is me and the main craters of Mt Etna at the top of the Valle Del Bove.