Powerful explosive activity at Central Crater on 17 July 1960. Photos by Vincenzo Barbagallo, taken near Rifugio Sapienza
Etna Decade Volcano, Sicily, Italy
Etna's summit eruptions, 1960-1964
A rough chronology of the events of the period 1960-1964, which featured the most dramatic eruptions observed at Etna's summit during history, is presented in a table below; more detail concerning this period and information about the activity of 1955-1959 and 1965-1971 will be available later.
| 1960 | |
| early 1960 | Mild Strombolian and effusive activity at NE Crater |
| 17 July | Paroxysmal eruptive episode from the Voragine of the Central Crater forming an eruption column several km high |
| 4-5 August | Explosive eruption from Central Crater, forming a column 1 km high |
| 8 August | Renewed explosive and effusive activity from NE Crater |
| 1961 | |
| early January | NE Crater activity diminishes |
| 16 January | 4 small lava flows issue from NE Crater |
| mid-March | Intense Strombolian and effusive activity from NE Crater |
| late April | NE Crater activity continues, lava flow 1.5 km long |
| 11-12 May | Central Crater
"filled with boiling lava", lava overflows northeastern rim and
spills downslope towards NE Crater, reaching a length of 500 m within a
few hours. The flow stops after one day, having reached a total length of
1.5 km. Another flow from Central Crater extends about 3 km to the NW, reaching
2100 m elevation. Simultaneously, NE Crater remains active. |
| 10-11 June | Increased activity from NE Crater with lava emission |
|
15 July |
Explosion from Central Crater, continued activity at NE Crater with lava flows, lasting through the end of 1961 |
| 1962 | |
| January | Lava flows and mild Strombolian activity continue from NE Crater |
| 8-10 January | Explosions from Central Crater; continued activity at NE Crater |
| 28 January | Brief episode of explosive activity at Central Crater, and continued Stombolian-effusive activity at NE Crater |
| 21 February | Minor explosive activity at Central Crater and continued explosive-effusive activity at NE Crater |
| 24 April | Increased activity at Central Crater and NE Crater |
| early May | NE Crater activity decreases |
| mid-May | Continued mild Strombolian activity at NE Crater with production of small lava flows |
| 25 June | NE Crater activity increases |
| 29 July | Explosive activity at Central Crater, and NE Crater activity continues |
| 1 August | Ash falls on Catania and surrounding villages |
| 6 August | Central Crater in explosive activity, NE Crater continues its long-lived eruption |
| 8 August | Ash falls (caused by explosive activity at Central Crater) on Catania and nearby villages; Central Crater then quietens while NE Crater activity continues |
| 11 August | Explosive activity in Central Crater causes ash falls to the east, as far as the Ionian Sea |
| 17 August | Central Crater quietens |
| 21-14 August | Activity at Central Crater, NE Crater and a subsidiary vent on the NE slope of NE Crater, named "Nordestino" (Little North-east) |
| 27 August | Intensified explosive-effusive activity at NE Crater |
| 3 December | New effusive base open at the NW base of NE Crater |
| 21 December | Strombolian-effusive activity at NE Crater continues; explosive activity at Central Crater. NE Crater continues its activity through the end of the year |
| 1963 | |
| January | Continuation of the NE Crater activity initiated in August 1960 |
| late March | Lava flows from NE Crater extend more than 2.5 km to NE; the longest flow slows on 9 April, but NE Crater remains active |
| 11 April | A new lava flow from NE Crater flows to the NNE |
| 17 April | The front of the lava flow from NE Crater is only 700 m from the margin of the Pineta (forest) of Linguaglossa, but later stops |
| late April-late June | Continued lava emission and mild explosive activity from NE Crater |
| 30 June | Another lava flow from NE Crater advances uncomfortably close to the Pineta of Linguaglossa, but stops a few days later |
| late November | NE Crater eruption continues through the end of 1963 |
| 1964 | |
| late January | The long-lived eruption from NE Crater continues vigorously until 25 January but then decreases in vigor to end before 31 January |
| 31 January/1 February | Two new fissures open on the eastern outer flank of the main summit cone, at elevations between 3000 and 2800 m elevation, with several explosive vents in their upper parts and effusive vents in their lowermost parts. Lava is rapidly advancing into Valle del Bove for about 2 km during the first day. Vigorous explosive activity occurs from two new fissures within Central Crater where new spatter cones grow, and lava spills over the northeast crater rim to extend a few hundred m downslope |
| early to mid-February | The lava flow from the upper E flank fissure extends further downslope into Valle del Bove, eventually reaching a length of about 4 km. Vigorous explosive activity continues during the first half of February from Central Crater |
| after 20 February | Lava flow on the eastern flank ceases, Central Crater and NE Crater quiet |
| 7 April | Vigorous explosive activity from Central Crater sends an eruption column 3-4 km high, causes ash falls to the northeast; this is followed by violent Strombolian explosions in the Central Crater (up to 1500 m high). Incandescence at the summit is visible during the following night |
| 8 April | Central Crater activity ceases |
| 13 April | Renewed vigorous explosive activity from Central Crater, causing ash falls on the E and SE flanks; bombs are ejected up to 400 m high during the whole day, and lava extends 400 m down the NW flank of the main summit cone |
| 14 April | The NW lava flow from Central Crater reaches a length of 1 km, then stops. Explosive bursts occur at a rate of 20 per minute, sending bombs up to 600 m high, and a new cone grows in the Central Crater. Light ash rains occur as far as Catania |
| 15 April | The Central Crater activity ends after 48 hours |
| 20 April | Yet another eruptive episode from Central Crater: explosions throwing incandescent material 500-800 m high, and lava flows spill over the NE lip of the crater to extend in two branches, one to the ESE (1 km long) and the other to the N (2 km long): The activity ceases early the next day |
| 26 April | Renewed Strombolian activity from Central Crater, possibly with lava effusion around 28 April |
| 1-2 May | Fifth eruptive episode from Central Crater in one month. Eruption column rises 3 km high, ash falls on the E and SE flanks; explosions occur at a rate of 40 per minute. Continuous detonations rattle windows in nearby villages (Zafferana, Fornazzo). A lava flow extends 3 km to the W. The activity ends on late 2 or early 3 May |
| 7 May | In the afternoon, explosive activity at Central Crater resumes, initiating 12 days of ininterrupted eruptions with spectacular lava overflows. Ash is blown first to the SE, then S, and finally SW, and a lava flow spills over the W crater rim to flow westwards, reaching a length of 4 km |
| 8 May | At 1800, a new lava flow spills down the upper W flank, overriding the flow of the previous day, extending to the tree boundary. Powerful explosions occur incessantly in Central Crater. Similar activity continues during the following days |
| 13 May | Due to the accumulation of large volumes of lava in the Central Crater, a segment of the SSW crater rim (already weakened by a fissure eruption in 1949) collapses, leaving a notch 100 m long and 50 m wide through which lava rapidly spills onto the southern flank of the main summit cone. The rapidly advancing lava flow passes only 100 m west of the Observatory and 150 m of the upper cable car station (both were eventually destroyed during the 1971 eruption). The flow is deflected to the SW at the base of Monte Frumento Supino, a cinder cone standing at ca. 2700-2800 m elevation on the S flank of Etna, and extends 3.5 km from its source |
| 14 May | While the advance of the western lava flow stops, lava continues to overflow through the newly formed notch onto the SSW flank. Vigorous explosive activity continues in the Central Crater, and ash falls occur as far as Catania |
| 15 May | According to press sources, 500,000 cubic meters of lava have been erupted from Central Crater since 7 May. Lava continues to flow to the SSW, reaching a length of 4 km. |
| 16 May | While explosive activity at Central Crater diminishes, lava continues to flow through the notch in the SSW crater rim |
| 17 May | Although flowing at reduced rate, new lava lobes extending laterally from the main flow on Etna's SSW flank temporarily threaten the Observatory and the upper cable car station |
| 18 May | Mild explosive activity continues in Central Crater, but less lava flows onto the outer flank of the main summit cone |
| 19 May | In the morning all explosive and effusive activity stops. The total volume of lava and pyroclastics produced between 7 and 19 May is estimated at 1 million cubic meters |
| 27 May | Resumption of explosive activity from Central Crater, the first in yet another series of brief but violent eruptive episodes |
| 1June | Brief eruptive episode from Central Crater, lasting 1 hour |
| 4 June | Another eruptive episode from Central Crater, lasting 1 hour, from a new vent where a cone is built (this cone was to become the most prominent 1964 edifice) |
| 5 June | Explosive activity at Central Crater causes ash falls in Zafferana |
| 6 June | Explosive activity at Central Crater |
| 11-12 June | Vigorous lava fountaining during the night from Central Crater, followed on the afternoon of 12 June by more explosions |
| 14 June | Powerful explosions, detonations audible in the evening, incandescent material is thrown 700-800 m high. A lava flow may have been erupted in the evening. Eruption columns rise several km above the summit, and ash falls on Catania |
| 18 June | Detonations audible for 15 minutes in the early morning |
| 21 June | Central Crater produces explosions early in the morning |
| 23 June | Explosive activity in Central Crater, sending an eruption column 2-3 km high |
| 2 July | Press reports about activity at NE Crater, probably this was actually from Central Crater |
| 4-5 July | Four hours of very intense Central Crater activity, described as the most spectacular display Etna has offered in many years. Lava fountains roar up to 600 m above the summit, and numerous (according to various sources up to six) lava lobes spill over the crater rim on the SE, S, SW and W sides. This final eruptive episode of the 1964 summit eruptions is accompanied by vigorous seismicity |
| 28 August | Explosions from Central Crater, possibly caused by collapse |
| 3 October | Steam and ash eruptions from Central Crater, possibly related to collapse |
| 17 November | Explosions and collapse in Central Crater |