The SAC agency operating Catania airport closed its airspace early on Friday due to ash in the atmosphere caused by Mount Etna eruption. Meanwhile, the Sicilian Island of Stromboli is on red alert because of volcanic activity there.
Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology issues red code warning for planes passing through region. SAC said there was ash on the runways but expects flights to resume at 15:00 on Friday.
Catania Mayor Enrico Trantino has issued an order banning people from using two-wheeled forms of transport for 48 hours and setting a speed limit of 30 km/h because of the ash.
The civil protection department has told people on Stromboli to monitor the information provided by the local authorities due to the alert there.
“At the moment Stromboli’s volcano is under special surveillance” said Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci.
He said the civil protection department would hold a meeting to assess the situation on Friday, adding that each part of the island’s emergency evacuation plan was being verified.
Powerful Etna eruption
Italy’s Mount Etna is one of Europe’s most active volcanoes and is currently erupting with significant lava and ash emissions.
Recent days have seen increased activity at the approximately 3,300-meter-high stratovolcano on the island of Sicily. Notably, the Voragine crater has been erupting powerfully with both lava and ash. Lava flows have been observed moving from the Voragine crater towards another crater.
The regional office of Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) in Catania estimates that the ash emitted from Etna has reached approximately 4.5 kilometres (2.7 miles) in height, drifting in a southeast direction.
Mount Etna last experienced a similarly strong eruption with ash and lava in December 2023. Earlier this year, the volcano produced a rare phenomenon of ‘smoke rings’.
