A new strong eruptive episode (high magnitude explosive eruptions classified as paroxysm) is now in progress at the volcano’s Southeast Crater.
Bursting intense lava fountains release glowing scoria lapilli-to-bomb sized material ejecting up to perhaps a few hundreds meters above the vent. The activity is associated with usual copious ash and gas emissions.
An eruption onset of paroxysm was dominated by increasing strombolian activity along with a typical several-hour rise in volcanic tremor since midnight. First, increasing gradually over hours, then very sharply peaked until it led magma flux towards the surface. Locations of tremor events rapidly shifted beneath the Southeast Crater at 2900 meters altitude.
A new batch of magma arrived in the inner vent therefore, from where overflowed the crater saddle rim and currently remains confined in the crater area.
The INGV observatory detected a usual precursor at 09:00 this morning when strombolian explosions started and have become stronger and near-continuous, culminating into the recently formed powerful lava-fountaining phase.
Ashfall has been reported in the town of Milo.
Etna’s tendency to produce such events is nothing unusual and it occurs from time to time. Furthermore, it could be a beginning of a new series of paroxysm.
Parossismo dell‘#Etna nel corso del pomeriggio di domenica visto da San Giovanni la Punta (CT) pic.twitter.com/zrho420hJB
— Local Team (@localteamit) November 12, 2023
The increasing strombolian activity before the paroxysm fountaining episode (source: Boris Behncke)
Eruptive activity is increasing once more at #Etna’s Southeast Crater; cloud cover renders observations difficult. Video was taken while visibility was still decent, view is from home in Tremestieri Etneo, using my 3000 mm zoom. 12 November 2023 pic.twitter.com/pQTwljdemK
— Boris Behncke (@etnaboris) November 12, 2023
