Footage filmed on May 21 shows the spectacle of Mount Etna's most recent eruption, with breathtaking rivers and jets of lava.

Yesterday (May 20) the Italian Civic Protection issued a warning alert for Mount Etna, an active volcano on the island of Sicily, Italy. The level of alert was raised from green to yellow.

The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etneo Observatory, announced that starting from 3 pm a new effusive vent opened on the northern side of the SE Crater, at an altitude of about 3250 metres height above mean sea level, immediately north-west of the mouth which opened on 12 May.

A small lava flow is currently emitted from the new vent in a north-easterly direction. A

The SE Crater continues to be affected by Strombolian explosive activity of variable intensity, Accompanied by discontinuous emissions of diluted ash that disperses in a southwest direction.

From the seismic point of view, the average amplitude of the volcanic tremor, while showing large fluctuations in its trend, remains in the range of high values. The source of the volcanic tremor is located below the SE Crater, at a depth of about 3000m.

The infrasonic activity at the SE Crater is quite sustained both in the number and in the energy of the infrasonic transients.

The signals acquired by the GNSS and clinometric networks do not show significant variations associated with the phenomenology in place.

VOLCANIC ACTIVITY COMMUNICATION of 2022-05-20 16:31:05 (UTC) - ETNA.
The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etneo Observatory, announces that starting from 15:30 UTC a new effusive vent has opened on the northern side of the SE Crater, at an altitude of about 3250 m a.s.l., immediately north- west of the mouth which opened on 12 May. A small lava flow is currently emitted from the new vent in a north-easterly direction. At the same time, the lava outflow at the mouth of May 12 continues, the lava fronts of which settle in the desert Valle del Leone.
Finally, the SE Crater continues to be affected by a Strombolian explosive activity, of variable intensity, which starting from 15.30 UTC is accompanied by a discontinuous emissions of diluted ash that disperses in a southwest direction. This ash emission ended at 4.40 pm UTC.
From the seismic point of view, the average amplitude of the volcanic tremor, while showing large fluctuations in its trend, remains in the range of high values. The source of the volcanic tremor is located below the SE Crater, at a depth of about 3000m. The infrasonic activity at the SE Crater is quite sustained both in the number and in the energy of the infrasonic transients.
The signals acquired by the GNSS and clinometric networks do not show significant variations associated with the phenomenology in place.

SOURCE: INGV CATANIA