Tourism

Mount Etna wakes up in Sicily

According to Italian media, the volcano Etna, which is located on the island of Sicily, again shows signs of activity. On Monday, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology of Italy recorded explosions and ash discharge in the southeastern part of the volcano, which, however, did not affect the operation of the airlines. Only the airport of the city of Catania (Catania) for safety reasons closed two runways.

Scientists and experts claim that the current activity of the highest volcano in Italy has not yet reached the level where it is necessary to fear for the locals. However, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology notes that the two points where the explosions and emissions of ash occurred were connected into one crater. There, small eruptions of fiery lava were noticed.

Etna volcano, striking tourists with its height (3350 meters) and unusual beauty, showed signs of activity earlier this month. So, more than two weeks ago, local airports temporarily stopped working due to the large amount of ash emitted by the volcano. At the end of October, powerful Etna threw out ash clouds that hung for a long time over the neighboring settlements and cities of Taormina and Catania. But the seismic activity of the volcano at that time was slightly stronger than in recent days. Then the explosions and small eruptions of lava were accompanied by a minor but noticeable earthquake.

The most terrible and large-scale eruption of the highest volcano in Europe occurred on March 11, 1669. According to historians, Etna raged until the middle of summer or even until the end of autumn. The strongest numerous earthquakes formed near the city of Nicolosi a kind of cone, which to this day can be seen on one of the slopes of the volcano. It is believed that back in 1669, Etna volcano threw out at least 800 million cubic meters of deadly lava, which completely changed the configuration of the coast and claimed the lives of 20-100 thousand people.

Today, the media claim that Etna is not the only active volcano. So, in El Salvador, the old volcano Chaparrastica shows signs of activity, which carries a much greater threat than Etna, which is relatively calm today. Local authorities have already decided to urgently evacuate 2,200 local residents and have declared the highest - orange - hazard level in the region. Yesterday, the volcano, which last woke up in 1976, threw a column of ash, smoke and steam, 5 kilometers high. Doctors fear that such a mixture could cause serious respiratory infections, but so far only two people have turned to the doctors.

Volcanologists suggest that the eruption of the Chaparrastica volcano could lead to the so-called “volcanic winter. The most striking example of this phenomenon was the “year without summer”, which followed the powerful activity of the volcano Tambora on one of the islands of Indonesia in 1815. Then an extremely high amount of sulfur and ash fell into the stratosphere, which provoked significant changes in the climate of the region. Summer in 1816 never came. It was replaced by heavy rains and snowfalls, and in May there were completely freezes that completely destroyed the entire crop.

“A year without summer” had a strong impact on the global climate, lowering the annual temperature to 2.5 degrees Celsius, provoked a sharp increase in cereal prices, and also caused a terrible famine that claimed the lives of many.

Watch the video: Mount Etna WAKES UP: Sicily volcano ERUPTS and spews lava hundreds of metres into air (November 2024).

Popular Posts

Category Tourism, Next Article

Honeymoon in Italy: 7 ideas where to go. Part I
Trip planning

Honeymoon in Italy: 7 ideas where to go. Part I

No wonder Italy is considered one of the most top destinations for the Honeymoon - there are so many romantic corners that it is almost impossible to make a mistake. I know people who spent their honeymoon in Rome and were absolutely happy with the choice made. However, even if this is subjective, and when we take off our hat to the “Eternal City”, we will miss out on our listing of the best places for a honeymoon in Rome.
Read More
The best beaches of Sicily. Part I
Trip planning

The best beaches of Sicily. Part I

Sicily is famous for its beaches, many of which are among the best in Italy. In 2011, six Sicilian beaches were awarded the Blue Flag for the cleanliness of their waters. The rating was based on specific scientific standards, not subjective opinions. Here is this "magnificent six": Porto Paulo (Menfi), Pozzallo and Ispica (Ragusa), Fiumefreddo-Cottone (Catania), Spiaggia Bianca (Lipari) and Marina di Ragusa.
Read More
Cervinia ski resort in Italy: slopes, entertainment, how to get
Trip planning

Cervinia ski resort in Italy: slopes, entertainment, how to get

Cervinia in Italy, located in the Valtournenche valley, surrounded on all sides by majestic four-thousandths - the highest mountain resort in the country. The resort got its name from Mount Cervino, which means "deer" in Italian. The Swiss call this mountain Matterhorn “the crooked beak”, this difference is explained by the fact that the mountain looks different from different angles.
Read More
Rent a car in Italy or buy-back leasing: what to choose?
Trip planning

Rent a car in Italy or buy-back leasing: what to choose?

Traveling in Italy is worth it to rent a car. How else to do it all at once: to see all the most famous sights, learn about the less known, but no less significant, bask on the beach, go skiing and stock up on outlets with outfits for the whole family? But along with traditional rental methods, there is one that so far only selected tourists use.
Read More