Spectacular view of the eruptive episode of 16 April 2000, taken by Ben Fl�kiger of Switzerland from the Adrano area (SW of Etna) at about 1340 h, that is, before the most violent phase of activity of that paroxysm. In this photo a lot of details can be seen: the three plumes rising from the summit area of Etna (the diffuse light-colored plume at left comes from the Bocca Nuova, the dark column is from the summit vent of the SE Crater, and the thin, white plume to the right is that of the Sudestino); Monte Frumento Supino (which is the partially snow-covered peak to the right of the summit area); the Montagnola (the peak at right); and the lava flows that were erupted in October-November 1999 from the Bocca Nuova can be seen as black streaks on the middle left (western) flank of theotherwise snow-covered mountain.

Left: View of the "Harbor of Ulysses" at Ognina at about noon on 16 April 2000, with Etna emitting dense gas plumes in the background. At this moment the activity is concentrated at the Sudestino cone, and little of this is visible from Catania with the naked eye.
Center: A zoom on the upper part of Etna, showing a white gas plume rising vertically from the Sudestino, and a more diffuse plume coming from the Bocca Nuova which lies to the left of the Sudestino plume. This photo was taken a few minutes after the one at left.
Right: At about 1230 h, the first dark plumes can be seen rising from the SE Crater main vent, while a white plume continues to rise from the Sudestino.

Left: Life goes on as normal at the Porto d'Ulisse at Ognina (note market in foreground), while an ever growing gas plume is rising from the Sudestino and the main vent of the SE Crater.
Right: At 1330 h, the activity at the SE Crater main vent increases suddenly, and a dense, dark plume begins to rise up.

These four photos show the development of the first major tephra column of the SE Crater, which developed rapidly after 1330 h. The plume rose about 1 km in a few seconds, and eventually reached a height of about 3 km. This first phase of vigorous tephra emission lasted about 10 minutes, and was accompanied by an increase of lava fountaining at the Sudestino. Note dust plumes rising from the flanks of the SE Crater cone

A lava fountain is spouting from the Sudestino as Judit Zachar is on her way up to Torre del Filosofo (left). At her arrival, a diffuse plume containing a some ash rises from the SE Crater main vent (right photo, background), and fountaining continues at the Sudestino

Left: Ash emission increases at the SE Crater main vent, while a jet of lava can be seen at the Sudestino (foreground), and lava flows in several streams from this vent.
Right: A wide-angle view of the summit cone complex, with the broad gas plume from the Bocca Nuova at left, the thinner white plume of the Sudestino, and, behind it, the ash plume from the SE Crater main vent

The three views above show the progressive increase of explosive activity at the main vent and the temporary cessation of fountaining at the Sudestino. Brownish dust clouds are rising from the slopes of the SE Crater cone as bombs begin to fall from the growing pyroclastic column.

At 1330 h, a more vigorous phase of explosive activity starts at the summit vent of the SE Crater, and a dense eruption column rapidly rises into the clear sky. The Sudestino has not yet resumed its fountaining activity

Left: Powerful explosions shake the cone of the SE Crater, and a heavy rain of large bombs falls onto its flanks, generating dense clouds of brownish dust.
Right: Another view of dust clouds rising from the flanks of the SE Crater cone, and the steaming Sudestino in the foreground.

The four photos above show vigorous explosive activity at the main vent of the SE Crater, and, in the two images at right, the sudden resumption of lava fountaining at the Sudestino.

Left: A zoom on the lava fountain at the Sudestino.
Right: A sudden, and very powerful, explosion from the main vent of the SE Crater sends thousands of large bombs hundreds of meters above the summit (these are visible in the enlarged version of the image to the left of the black eruption column.

Left: Lava fountain and flows erupting from the Sudestino during the buildup towards the paroxysm, at about 1245 h.
Center: Strong explosive activity begins at the summit vent of the SE Crater at about 1330 h. Dust clouds generated by falling bombs are visible on the flank of the SE Crater cone.
Right: Culmination of the paroxysm, about 1440 h. A dark eruption column rises from the SE Crater, while a white steam plume partially hides a brown cloud rising from an avalanche on the S flank of the SE Crater cone.

Left: This photo was taken during an early phase of the activity at the Sudestino, when a large hornito had built on top of the cone, and lava was flowing from behind the hornito.
Center: As Strombolian activity increases, the hornito formed earlier is gradually destroyed.
Right: This view is from the W, probably from the S base of the main summit cone. Lava is seen fountaining from the Sudestino in the background; the hornito seen in the previous two photos has vanished, and large volumes of lava are streaming from the Sudestino towards SW.

These two photos impressively show the spectacular lava fountains jetting from the Sudestino during the buildup phase of the paroxysm. Note the growth of several pinnacles on the rim of the vent.

The activity extends to the summit vent of the SE Crater cone (at left in both images) and rapidly increases, while lava fountaining continues at the Sudestino, seen at right.

These photos show the dramatic culmination of the activity at about 1430 h. In the left image, a dark fountain of bombs and ash is seen rising from the summit vent of the SE Crater. Small plumes of dust are rising from the flanks of the cone where bombs are hitting the ground. A dense white gas plume can be seen rising from the southern flank of the cone at right, where a fissure is bursting open. The right photo shows a brownish plume on the S flank of the cone, generated by an avalanche, as explosions are bursting from the newly opening fracture.

Left: A view up towards the eruption column rising from the SE Crater, showing its bright upper portion.
Right: The paroxysm is over, the Sudestino (at left) is quiet, and the huge eruption plume is seen drifting eastwards in the background.

Left: The "Mareneve" road connecting the Rifugio Citelli on Etna's NE flank with the village of Fornazzo. While the tephra from the 16 April paroxysm has been cleared from the main road, black scoriae still cover a small side road.
Center: One of the largest blocks found in the avalanche deposit at the S base of the SE Crater cone after the paroxysm.
Right: Huge impact crater created by a large bomb falling on snow to the SE of the SE Crater. Jean Pierre Kloster, in the pit, gives scale.