This morning, a swarm of small earthquakes occurred beneath the eastern flank of the volcano. The seismic activity started early this morning at around 6 am local time.
So far, almost 50 quakes have been recorded with magnitudes of up to 2.3, and the activity seems to be continuing.
Most quakes were located at depth between 10-20 km and are arranged in a east-west trending linear area between the summit and Giarre town, mostly centered below the town of Sant’Alfio.
The location of quakes in a E-W pattern suggests that a fault zone has been activated in this area. Whether it is associated with magma intrusion along a corresponding dyke at depth, or caused purely by tectonic movements, or a combination of both, is difficult to say.
At the surface, Etna continues to be very active. When visibility allowed, glow and strombolian-type explosions could be seen from the New SE crater as well as Voragine central crater, and possible other vents as well. Volcanic tremor remains elevated, reflecting the current above-average supply of magma reaching the vents as lava.
