Etna 2018-2024

Summer 2024: Voragine

After several weeks of mild Strombolian activity from a new vent on Voragine's northern rim, the crater began a cycle of six paroxysms on July 4, 2024. These were the first since the events of December 2015 and May 2016. The paroxysms featured lava fountains with effusion rates reaching several hundred cubic meters per second, lasting up to nine hours, and consistently exceeding one kilometer in height. On the night of July 15, a spectacular curtain of glowing, falling bombs was observed at an altitude of 2.5 kilometers above the crater. The bomb deposits on the eastern rim of the crater raised its height by about 100 meters within a month, making it the tallest point on Etna at 3,403 meters above sea level. The video below is a compilation of footage captured on July 4, 15, and 23, showcasing the most dramatic activity under optimal lighting conditions. Lava flows filled Bocca Nuova and overflowed onto the upper western flank, rendering them invisible from the observation point on the eastern flank, located 10 kilometers from the summit. Throughout the video, the field of view remains consistent at 600 x 340 meters, centered on the crater.