A volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli erupted Sunday morning, creating a lava flow that reached the sea.
On Sunday morning, at 07.20 local time, the Stromboli volcano erupted sending lava flows towards the sea. The alert increased from yellow to orange, and “a situation of enhanced volcano imbalance persists”.
An Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) video showed huge plumes of smoke as the lava poured down the side of the volcano.
The INGV recorded a first major explosion on September 29. There was then “a marked increase in volcanic activity culminated in a copious lava overflow” from the northern crater. This branched into multiple lava flows that stretched to the coast.
The Stromboli volcano is one of the most active on the planet. It has been erupting almost continuously for the past 90 years.
Pyroclastic flow from Stromboli volcano
The INGV states the “ongoing highly elevated activity at the volcano resulted in a spectacular, billowing pyroclastic flow tumbling down the Sciara del Fuoco”.
INGV volcanologists concluded part of the rim of the crater (likely North) had collapsed. This culminated in hot rock falls traveling beyond the coastline above water for about several dozens-to-hundred meters.
Ash plumes separating from the flow (so-called phoenix clouds) rose several hundred meters above the volcano. The pyroclastic flow triggered 2 cm high sea waves registered by the tsunami warning system.
Stromboli’s last major eruption was in 2019 when a tourist died.
