Italy: Mount Etna Under Surveillance with Orange Aviation Alert Amidst Eruptive Activity

Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, continues its eruptive activity, prompting authorities to maintain a strict surveillance protocol. The volcano, located on the Italian island of Sicily, is currently under an orange alert for aviation and a yellow alert for the population, reflecting the ongoing volcanic processes at its higher elevations.

The latest aviation warning (VONA), issued by the Etna Observatory of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), confirms the orange alert, the second highest on the aeronautical scale. This designation is due to a persistent lava flow originating from an eruptive mouth situated at an altitude of 3,030 meters. The lava front is currently advancing downslope, observed between 2,700 and 2,750 meters above sea level.

Despite the aviation alert, volcanologists have assured that no significant ash cloud has dispersed. The volcanic material ejected from explosions at the Voragine crater is largely confined to the summit area, which reaches approximately 3,300 meters. Internal volcanic tremor amplitude has remained stable over the past 48 hours, within parameters considered moderate, according to INGV experts.

These scientific monitoring efforts are complemented by safety measures implemented by the Italian Civil Protection Department. Last Friday, the land alert level was raised from green to yellow, facilitating coordinated prevention actions with local authorities. These measures primarily involve restricting access for hikers to the upper zones of the volcano. Currently, Etna's activity poses no immediate danger to inhabited areas, and operations at the nearby Catania airport remain unaffected.