Italy’s Etna Volcano spews ash, lava again, locals report
Molten lava streams from a fissure on Mount Etna during its eruption, February 14, 2025. (AFP Photo)
The Mount Etna volcano in southern Italy once again spewed ash and lava, according to media reports Thursday.
Volcanic activity at the southeast crater of Mount Etna, at 3,357 meters (11,014 feet) in height, continued from Wednesday night to Thursday night, local sources told Anadolu Agency.
The Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) confirmed the activity.
Due to the ash clouds, INGV issued a red code warning for airplanes passing through the region, according to local media reports.
Mount Etna is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, with an almost constant state of activity. The last time it erupted significantly was on Nov. 13-16 in 2024.
A volcano that shaped history
Etna Volcano’s eruptions have influenced the history of Sicily since ancient times.
In 396 B.C., during the Battle of Catania, Carthaginian forces attempting to advance around the volcano were defeated due to sudden volcanic activity. Throughout history, major eruptions have left lasting marks on the landscape and local populations.
One of the most devastating eruptions occurred in 1669, when the volcano expelled 830 million cubic meters of lava over four months, destroying numerous villages.
Workers attempted to redirect the lava flow by digging trenches—marking one of the earliest recorded human interventions against volcanic activity.
Subsequent eruptions, such as those in 1852, 1928, and 1983, caused widespread destruction. The 1928 eruption cut off a railway and buried the village of Mascali, while the 1983 event forced authorities to use explosives to control the lava flow.
