Etna's Voragine crater erupts again, Catania airport limits arrivals through August 17

Renewed explosive activity

On August 16, monitoring systems at INGV's Osservatorio Etneo in Catania detected a strong increase in volcanic activity at Etna's summit craters during the daytime hours. Field surveys by INGV-OE personnel confirmed that Strombolian activity resumed at the Voragine crater at 16:22 local time, followed by intensified ash emission from the Northeast crater. Prediction models indicated that ash plumes generated by the explosions dispersed toward the southeast across the volcano's summit area. The event marks the eighth consecutive day of eruption for Etna, which had appeared to quiet in the preceding hours after disrupting air traffic around the Ferragosto holiday. The volcano had briefly seemed to settle, with a regular reopening of Catania airport raising hopes among travelers after a week of disruption.

Tremor surge

Volcanic tremor, an indicator of the high energy present within the magmatic conduits, rose sharply throughout August 16 and remained stationary on very high values. From the late evening of August 15, the average tremor amplitude had shown wide oscillations between low and medium values, growing steadily in amplitude. The increase became progressively more marked during the daytime hours of August 16. By approximately 18:00, the amplitude passed from the medium-value range into the high-value band. Tremor sources were localized between 2,800 and 3,000 meters above sea level, in the zone between the Voragine and Northeast craters. Infrasound activity also showed a clear increase from around 18:00, with low-amplitude events concentrated at the Voragine crater and an evident growth character. The Cratere del Piano monitoring station recorded the start of a modest upward trend as well.

Lava flows continue

Effusive activity persisted from two vents situated at 2,750 and 1,990 meters altitude. The most advanced lava front reached 1,395 meters altitude, positioning itself between Rocca delle Palombe and Rocca Musarra. INGV field staff confirmed the ongoing lava output as part of the sustained eruptive phase that has now entered its second week of continuous activity. Strombolian explosions at the Voragine, ash emission from the Northeast crater, and lava effusion from the lower vents all occurred simultaneously during the intensified phase on August 16.

The Osservatorio Etneo issued a detailed bulletin on the ongoing activity.

Effusive activity continues from the vents at 2,750m and 1,990m altitude on Etna. From field surveys carried out by INGV-OE personnel, Strombolian activity resumed at the Voragine crater at 16:22; subsequently, ash emission activity intensified at the Northeast Crater.

Aviation disruption

The VONA (Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation) issued by INGV remained at orange level as of the evening of August 16. Catania airport had reopened after a week of disruption, but the first alarms sounded again on the evening of Sunday, August 16, just hours after the regular reopening that had raised hopes among travelers. Arrivals at the airport were limited until 14:00 on August 17. The disruptions had affected air traffic around the Ferragosto holiday on August 15.