Etna: situation as of 1 August 2011

The volcanic activity at the pit crater, at the base of the south-east crater, got more and more intense in the morning of 30 July. The eruptive activity, as signalled by Catania Ingv, stopped in the early morning of 31 July.

The Central Functional Centre – Volcanic Risk sector of the Civil Protection Department issued, in the night between 30 and 31 July , a notice of “high criticality” for the top area of the volcano and “ordinary criticality” for the middle side, foot of the mountain and urban areas. At the end of the eruptive activity on 31 July, the Central Functional Centre – Volcanic Risk sector issued a second notice of  “moderate criticality” for the top area of the volcano and of  “absent criticality” for the middle side, foot of the mountain and urban areas.

The activity, started with a sudden increase of the volcanic tremor, was characterized by an intense strombolian activity, lava fountains that reached a height of some 400-500 m (from the crater border), a small lava flow moving  towards Valle del Bove and by the emission of a significative quantity of ash (photo).

The ash emission affected the east-south-eash area of the volcano, and news of ash fall over the municipalities of Zafferana Etnea, Milo and Sant’Alfio have been received, but without problems to the air traffic of Catania airport Fontanarossa, which remained open.

The total ban to access the volcano over 2920 m is prolonged to the 22 August 2011  - in proximity of the Philosopher's Tower -, either on the North and South side, according to the ordinance of the Prefect of Catania.The Central Functional Centre continues the surveillance activity of the phenomenon through its Ingv competence centres in Catania and University of Florence an through the operating structures of the Alpine Rescue of Guardia di Finanza and Forest Corps of Sicily Region.
 

Image of 30 July 2011 showing the lava fountain, lava flow and ash cloud.
Source: Ingv-Catania