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WARNING:
Access to the summit area is VERY
DANGEROUS and ACCESS TO THE SUMMIT CRATERS IS FORBIDDEN.
Vigorous explosive activity has resumed at the Southeast Crater
on 9 May 2001, and further events of this kind are possible
in the near future. Guided excursions on the south flank that
end at the Torre del Filosofo, at about 2900 m elevation, have
resumed in mid-March, and on the north flank excursions arrive
at the Pizzi Deneri, at about 2600 m elevation. Tourists
should make excursions only with the mountain guides and NEVER
GO ALONE, even though this will not satisfy the wish
to see what's going on at close range. Besides this, weather
conditions are often unstable: strong wind, snow or rain and
clouds are occuring frequently in the summit area, even during
the summer, and one can get easily lost. The mountain guides
can be contacted at the cable car (near the Rifugio Sapienza)
on the southern side of Etna (phone: 095-914141), or (during
the summer) at the hotel "Le Betulle" at Piano Provenzana,
on the northern side (phone: 095-643430).
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The
latest update is near the bottom of this page
10 May 2001 update.
After
more than eight months of minor activity, the Southeast Crater has
produced a fresh episode of vigorous explosive and effusive activity
during the late afternoon of 9 May.
This paroxysm was heralded by a gradual increase in the level of activity
both at the summit and at the site of effusive activity on the lower
NNE flank of the Southeast Crater cone. A group of Portuguese tourists
is reported to have barely escaped from the crater rim before the
onset of violent explosive activity. The following is based primarily
on a report posted on Charles
Rivière's web site (in French); Rivière witnessed
the event at very close range. That site contains a number of quite
spectacular photos as well.
The effusive vent(s) at the lower NNE flank of the Southeast Crater
cone were visited daily by Rivière and others during the days
preceding the paroxysm. On 6 May, no flowing lava was observed, and
all effusive activity appeared to have stopped. At about 0530 h (local
time=GMT+2), a bright glow in the area of the effusive vents signalled
the resumption of effusive activity there, and later that morning
Rivière and others reached the site of the eruptive vents.
Passing below the steep and unstable E flank of the SE Crater cone
they noted that significant rockfalls had occurred. At the eruptive
vents they were greeted by an unexpected spectacle: besides producing
four active lava flows, explosions launched incandescent blobs of
lava, and a small cone (hornito) rapidly grew around the explosive
vent, reaching a height of about 10 m. While staying at a safe distance
from the vent, the group heard the sounds of explosions from the direction
of the summit vent of the SE Crater, and decided to retreat to the
Torre del Filosofo mountain hut. From there they were able to observe
frequent explosions coming from the summit vent, some of which dropped
pyroclastics (and probably lithic blocks) onto the S flank of the
cone.
The next morning, Rivière and his companions returned to the
active vents at the NNE flank of the cone. They found abundant large,
and still hot, lithic blocks that had been ejected from the summit
vent, and explosions occurred at that vent every 7-10 seconds. Rivière
noted that not all did produce fresh incandescent pyroclastics, so
that it seems that part of the ejected material was old rock torn
from the conduit walls. The vent was thus reopening, and it appeared
that more violent activity was at hand. Bad weather forced the observers
back to the Torre del Filosofo mountain hut later that day.
On the morning of 9 May, Strombolian bursts occurred at the summit
vent every few seconds, and a distinct increase of the activity was
evident. Rivière and his companions once more made the hazardous
trip to the eruptive vents at the NNE flank of the SE Crater cone,
passing under the E side of the cone, from which rockfalls occurred
frequently. Effusive activity continued at the vents on the NNE flank
of the cone, and a new flow began to issue from an area right where
Rivière stood. On some occasions the members of the group had
to dodge bombs which had been ejected from the summit vent, and which
fell around them, eventually forcing them to retreat to the Torre
del Filosofo mountain hut.
For a while clouds then covered the cone, and for some time the activity
could be heard but not seen. At 1745 h, the activity brusquely increased,
and lava fountains began to jet from the NNE flank fissure to a height
of about 100 m. At the same time, a dense eruption column began to
rise from the summit vent. The activity continued vigorously for the
next few hours, and as night fell (between 2000 and 2030 h), incandescent
bursts became distinctly visible at the summit vent of the SE Crater.
Three lava flows were emitted from the NNE flank fissure, rapidly
reaching a length of about 1.5-2 km (directed ESE to ENE). Strong
activity continued until about 2050 h and culminated in three strong
blasts from the summit vent, accompanied by a brief increase of lava
fountaining from the NNE flank fissure. After this the activity rapidly
diminished. However, lava continued to flow from the NNE flank fissure
throughout the night.
On 10 May, the SE Crater showed strong degassing, and lava continued
to flow from the NNE flank fissure. Boris Behncke (Dipartimento di
Scienze Geologiche, University of Catania) was able to see the summit
area occasionally through gaps in dense cloud cover while returning
from several days of fieldwork on Lipari island, and noted dense grayish
plumes rising from the summit area. At nightfall on 10 May, lava continued
to flow from the NNE flank fissure, reaching a length of about 700
m, and occasional bursts of incandescent spatter occurred at the source
vent(s). Possible deep-seated Strombolian activity was also observed
at the summit vent of the SE Crater (observations made by Giuseppe
Scarpinati, Acireale).
Local press sources reported that air traffic was derouted during
the paroxysm (airplanes starting from Catania airport usually pass
over the E side of Etna). This measure was introduced after an airplane
encountered tephra shortly after an eruptive episode at the SE Crater
on 26 April 2000. No reports are available about possible tephra falls
over inhabited areas.
The new paroxysm at the SE Crater is no surprise. Even though more
than eight months have passed between the previous paroxysm (29 August
2000) and the latest event, the crater was far from extinct. A brief
resumption of slow lava effusion from the fissure on the NNE flank
of the SE Crater cone in late November and early December 2000 ended
without any paroxysmal activity, but two months later, lava began
once more to flow from that fissure, and this activity continued almost
constantly through early May. Almost all of the 66 paroxysmal eruptive
episodes at the SE Crater in 2000 had been preceded by such lava outflows,
and the buildup period before the paroxysms had lengthened with time.
The 9 May 2001 paroxysm may mark the beginning of a new series of
similar events, but it may as well remain an isolated event. The Southeast
Crater is still in its growing phase, and it seems that the show is
far from over. The continued lava outflow from the NNE flank fissure
indicates that magma continues to rise into the SE Crater, and thus
more paroxysms may occur in the next few days.
12 May 2001 update.
Bad weather
has prevented visual observations of the summit craters of Etna since
the late evening of 10 May when lava continued to flow from the fissure
on the NNE side of the SE Crater cone.
In the previous (10 May) update, it was originally reported that
during the buildup phase of the 9 May SE Crater paroxysm a group of
Portuguese scientists accompanied by volcanologist Patrick Allard
(of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, formerly Poseidon)
had climbed the cone of the crater while it was already displaying
intense Strombolian activity. This information was not correct,
and it has been deleted from the 10 May update. Allard has
kindly provided detailed information about the fate of the Portuguese
volcanologists who were accompanied by himself and Daniele Andronico,
also of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, which
is cited fully in the following paragraphs.
"A group of Portuguese volcanologists (not "tourists") from
the Azores, guided by local volcanologists Patrick Allard and Daniele
Andronico, was visiting the summit zone of Etna in the afternoon of
May 9. After two hours [of] observations of gradually increasing Strombolian
activity at the crater of [the] SE cone, most of the Portuguese group,
headed by two professors and equipped with radio, was invited to move
back to Torre del Filosofo mountain hut, along the gentle path coming
from [the] Sudestino [a small spatter cone that had formed at the
S base of the SE Crater cone during the spring of 2000]. They had
quietly reached this safe position in about 20 minutes. In the same
time, Patrick Allard, Daniele Andronico and the four most experienced
Portuguese volcanologists (including Joao Gaspar, director of the
Azores Volcanological Center), also with radio, went to the west of
[the] SE cone, [about half way up the SE] slope of Bocca Nuova, with
the aim to collect water-quenched samples of lava bombs and scoriae
ejected from SE crater, for routine petrological monitoring conducted
by the Catania section of INGV (National Institute for Geophysics
and Volcanology of Italy). Both groups maintained permanent radio
link. In contrast to information given in May 10 Boris Behncke's web
site report, the last group of volcanologists never attempted to climb
SE cone itself, whose hazardous conditions were too obvious. Because
of the growing height of the jets and enlarging area of tephra fall,
Patrick Allard rapidly decided the group had to move back to Torre
del Filosofo. On this way back sampling of a water-quenched lava bomb
rolling down the slope of SE cone could be achieved successfully.
The group rapidly went out of the tephra roll limit and reached the
mountain hut in 12 minutes. Contrary to reports, again, the first
group of volcanologists was never "anxiously awaiting the return of
their companions", as regular radio links had informed them of the
safety of these latter. While volcanologists in the second group were
certainly excited by the volcanic show and by successful rock sampling,
they were by no means "extremely frightened". This field trip, planned
for professional reasons and involving professional people, was conducted
with all the caution required by our previous experiences of SE crater
fountaining episodes since September 1998. We acknowledge the quality
and usual accuracy of Boris Behncke's web site reports on Etna's activity
and, therefore, would appreciate that the informations provided here
be used to correct those erroneous ones in the May 10 report."
With this it is hoped to maintain the level of accuracy necessary
for a web site like this one. This is particularly important in the
case of Etna which is visited by hundreds to thousands of people daily,
and which is studied by numerous volcanologists, both local and from
many parts of the world. Unfortunately, many visitors (not volcanologists)
are unexperienced with active volcanoes, and many come with an idea
that Etna is a "good volcano" which does not produce explosive
eruptions. The last few years have shown that the contrary is the
case: the summit craters of the volcano frequently show a highly explosive
activity, and approaching the active vents is dangerous even during
periods of relatively mild intracrater Strombolian activity. On several
occasions tourists found themselves in highly uncomfortable situations
(at times not even recognizing this) and escaped unharmed rather by
miracle than reason. On the other hand, volcanologists (not volcano
adventurers) commonly apply strict safety measures during their visits
to the summit area (such as wearing hard hats, gas masks and protective
clothing, and bringing radioes or cell phones), and this is underlined
in Allard's report.
14 May 2001 update.
With improving
weather conditions Etna and its activity have again become visible,
and it appears that the effusive activity at the NNE flank of the
Southeast Crater cone has never ceased since the 9 May paroxysmal
eruptive episode. A persistent gas plume is rising from the summit
vent of the crater. Charles
Rivière and others briefly revisited the area of the effusive
vent(s) on the morning of 13 May and noted a fairly impressive outflow
rate, together with intense degassing, and occasionally noises typical
of Strombolian activity came from the direction of the SE Crater summit
vent.
After nightfall on 13 May, Giuseppe Scarpinati (Italian correspondent
of the Paris-based Association Volcanologique Européenne) made
telescopic observations of the activity from his home in Acireale,
a town located about 15 km SE of the summit. The active lava flow
was seen advancing for hundreds of meters in a northeasterly direction,
and occasionally weak Strombolian bursts sent incandescent bombs above
the lip of the summit vent of the SE Crater. These observations indicate
a relatively high level of magma in the conduit of that crater, and
that makes a new paroxysm in the near future a real possibility. Last
year, the SE Crater produced 66 similar paroxysms between late January
and late August, at times several per day, producing tall lava fountains,
rapidly advancing lava flows, and tephra columns which in some cases
rose up to 6 km above the vent. On many occasions towns and villages
on the slopes of the volcano received heavy showers of scoriaceous
lapilli which caused traffic problems and aroused fears of significant
agricultural damage. During a paroxysm on 26 April 2000, an airplane
encountered falling lapilli and had to make an emergency landing at
the International Airport of Catania; after that air traffic was rerouted
during paroxysms. Several persons received minor injuries by falling
scoria fragments during various paroxysms in 2000, but it was mere
luck that no one was seriously injured or killed, since tourists flock
in Etna's summit area anytime the weather conditions permit access
to this zone.
15 May 2001 update.
Mild eruptive
activity continues at the Southeast Crater, with persistent lava outflow
from the vent on the NNE flank of its cone (apparently much of the
9 May eruptive episode came from this vent and led to the growth of
a minor cone there) and very weak Strombolian bursts at the summit
vent of the cone. During the forenoon of 14 May Charles
Rivière observed a gradual increase in the lava output
at the effusive vent and of the intensity of Strombolian activity
at the summit vent of the SE Crater, but at nightfall the level of
the activity remained at moderate levels. On 15 May, Giovanni Sturiale
(Dipartimento di Scienze Geologiche, University of Catania) saw the
active lava flow from near the village of Fornazzo, on the E flank
of Etna. Its course was marked by bluish gas and extended at least
1 km down toward E or NE (in the direction of the Valle del Leone).
As of the late afternoon of 15 May, the summit vent of the SE Crater
is emitting a dense gas plume, similar to that of the previous days,
and gas is also rising from the effusive vent on the NNE flank of
its cone.
17 May 2001 update.
A human
drama is overshadowing the ongoing mild eruptive activity at the Southeast
Crater in these days. Since Monday 14 May, a 41 year old Spanish tourist
from Madrid, Beatriz Caldevilla Lebena, is missing after climbing
to the summit area alone, probably hoping to get a close view of the
lava flow that issues from a vent on the remote north-northeastern
side of the Southeast Crater cone. Rescue teams, supported by helicopters,
have found no trace of the woman so far.
Beatriz Caldevilla Lebena had left her hotel room (at the hotel Corsaro,
near the cable car on the southern flank of Etna) on the afternoon
of 14 May, equipped with a tent, and was last seen by mountain guides
at about 1730 h (local time=GMT+2) near the summit area. When she
did not return to her hotel room that night, the alarm was launched,
and search troups began to look for her the next day at daylight.
The search was continuing as of noon on 17 May, but hopes of finding
her were fading since the search teams had scanned virtually all of
the summit area of the volcano, including the zone surrounding the
active lava flow which extends more than 1 km from its vent, and the
vast Valle del Bove.
News reports state that the woman was on her first visit to Etna and
had no knowledge of the volcano and the risks of visiting its summit
area. Her airplane ticket for the return to Spain (due on the afternoon
of 16 May) was found in her hotel room. It was excluded that she had
left Etna intentionally, without leaving a trace.
So this is once more that a tourist has gone lost on Etna; there have
been similar incidents in the past, but so far most have luckily ended
with the recovery of the missing persons. All were caused by the inexperience
of the involved tourists, and often they had ventured to the summit
area alone. Here it must be stressed once more (as has been on
numerous occasions in the past) that anyone wishing to visit Etna
should NOT GO ALONE, and make excursions ONLY WITH THE LOCAL MOUNTAIN
GUIDES. This might be expensive and not satisfy the desire to "see
the lava" (the current lava flow is in one of the least accessible
areas of the volcano), but it saves lives. In case you decide to ignore
these advices, take a cell phone with you, and leave note (e.g., in
your hotel) about where you are going and when you plan to return.
Do note, however, that access to the summit craters is NOT ALLOWED.
The eruptive activity, which probably attracted the missing Spanish
tourist, is continuing without significant variations. Lava is flowing
incessantly from one or more vents on the lower NNE flank of the SE
Crater cone, at times accompanied by mild spattering. On 15 May, a
cluster of three hornitos was observed by Charles
Rivière and others, but the next day these had collapsed,
leaving a large hollow. On that day lava was issuing from a vent at
the base of what remained of the hornitos. While Rivière and
his companions were observing and filming the activity, the effusion
rate increased, and a new effusive vent became active about 10 m further
downslope from the former, yielding a vigorous new flow that was directed
NE. The observers also noted an increase in the degassing activity
at the main (summit) vent of the SE Crater.
On the same afternoon, Boris Behncke (Dipartimento di Scienze Geologiche
of the University of Catania) and three geologists from the Consiglio
Nazionale di Ricerca (Rome, Italy) and from Canada approached the
effusive vent area from the SE, but was forced to remain at a distance
of about 100 m due to a gale-force wind that drove the gas plume from
the summit vent of the SE Crater across the ground and thus reduced
visibility to a minimum. Loud degassing noises and sporadic explosions
were audible in spite of the relentless wind. After descending, the
group drove to the village of Fornazzo on the E side of Etna, from
where visibility was excellent, especially after nightfall. The active
lava flow was perfectly visible, extending in at least three lobes
to the NE and E. More impressively, the summit vent of the SE Crater
produced Strombolian explosions that sent incandescent bombs up to
100 m into the sky, and some fell onto the flanks of the cone. These
explosions appeared to be clustered, there would be a relatively quiet
period lasting up to 15 minutes, after which a series of explosions
occurred in the course of about 10 minutes. The strongest burst was
observed at about 2100 h, which was directed obliquely to the S or
SE and dropped a significant amount of glowing pyroclastics on the
upper SE flank of the cone.
18 May 2001 update.
NOTE:
There will be no updates on this page until 26 May due to a week-long
excursion to Etna organized by the Open
University Geological Society
The Spanish tourist from Madrid, Beatriz Caldevilla Lebena, who had
disappeared on Etna four days ago, is presumed dead after remains
of her tent were found on 18 May near the rim of the Bocca Nuova,
one of the four summit craters of Etna. Press sources cite rescue
team members who found footprints leading from the tent to the rim
of one of the two active pits within that crater, but no footprints
leading back from there. It is possible that the woman went to look
into the pit on the evening of her arrival at the summit and fell
into it when a portion of its rim broke loose.
Meanwhile the effusion of lava from the vent (or vents) on the NNE
flank of the SE Crater cone is continuing. The active lava was well
visible during the night of 17-18 May, and possibly there was also
weak Strombolian activity at the summit vent of the SE Crater. The
active lava flow advanced in several branches, the longest of which
was almost 2 km long (information from Giuseppe Scarpinati).
Several
other web pages covering the recent and ongoing eruptions of the Southeast
Crater are now available; these contain photos and movie clips of
some of the most spectacular moments of that period.
Etna
in 2000 - a list of all paroxysms at the SE Crater since 26 January
and photos (this site)
Etna
in 2000 - various pages at Stromboli On-line with photos and movie
clips of SE Crater paroxysms and Bocca Nuova gas rings: most photos
are of Marco Fulle, the artist photographer among us
Extremely
spectacular video clips, taken by British cameraman and film maker
David Bryant on 15 February 2000
At
"Italy's Volcanoes" -
At Stromboli On-line
An
interview with Boris Behncke, made in late February 2000 by a BBC
team
and a video
clip (RealPlayer)
Photos
of the eruptive activity, 15-23 February 2000, by Tom Pfeiffer (University
of Arhus, Denmark) - scroll to bottom of page
Alain
Catté (Association Volcanologique Européenne) has photos
of Etna
from many years
Photos
of an eruptive episode on 13 February 2000, posted on the web site
of the Association Volcanologique Européenne, Paris, France
Thorsten
Boeckel's web site (Germany) with photos and movie clips of several
paroxysm of the SE Crater in February, April and June 2000
A
small web page reporting on Etna's current activity - and check what
happens to your cursor on that page...
Charles
Rivière's Etna home page, with many photos and video clips
(the most recent of the paroxysm of 5 May 2000), frequent updates,
and other, highly interesting items (in French and English)
