Strombolian activity at Etnas Voragine seen on a thermal webcam from the west side of Etna (image: INGV Catania webcam)
A new phase of strong strombolian activity has started from the central summit crater Voragine early this evening. The volcano observatory issued an ash warning as an ash cloud is now moving ESE from the volcano.
The tremor signal has climbed rapidly into the high region, a normally typical sign of an impending paroxysm possibly to come in the next hours, when individual strombolian explosions increase and merge into a violent lava fountaining.
This would then mark the 6th paroxysm of Etna’s Voragine this year, after the series had started on 4 July.
The characteristic rise of volcanic tremor indicating a possible paroxysm in the making (image: INGV Catania)