Mount Etna’s lava, ash spill leads to major flight cancellations

At this time, Italy’s magnificent Mount Etna erupts with a fierce explosion, painting the sky red with fire.

The surrounding area has been carpeted with lava and ash from the volcano, causing flights to be grounded at Catania airport.

Thick smoke obstructs visibility during landing and takeoff, delaying flights; Therefore, departures and arrivals are delayed on the busiest travel days.

Unusable runway

Catania airport officials said the runway was rendered unusable due to ash deposits at the airport.

„The explosive activity of Mount Etna and the simultaneous release of volcanic ash into the atmosphere have rendered the runway unusable due to the significant fall of volcanic ash at the airport. Therefore, both arrivals and departures have been suspended,” airport officials said.

„Flight operations will resume once aviation infrastructure conditions are restored.”

It is still being determined when the airport will be fully operational again.

„Therefore, passengers are requested not to proceed to the airport without first checking the status of their flight with the airline.”

Houses and streets around Catania were covered in dark gray dust. Flights were also grounded earlier this month due to the cloud of ash and smoke.

Millions of passengers pass through Catania Airport every year. It serves the eastern part of Sicily, including the popular tourist destinations of Syracuse and Taormina.

How does magma reach the surface?

Earlier this month, the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) investigated the enhanced regulation of magma reaching the surface of Mount Etna, one of the most active volcanoes on the planet.

A sophisticated technique called anisotropic seismic tomography has enabled researchers to gather an unparalleled understanding of the structure of the Earth’s crust in the Etna region.

This strategy assumes linear irregularity of seismic wave rates, providing useful details of the interaction between plate motions and volcanism. This has actually clarified the paths that magma travels in the direction of the Earth’s surface.

This research study is notable for its use of anisotropic tomography techniques in the volcanic atmosphere, which distinguishes it from previous Etna research studies.

The research revealed brand new insights into the volcano’s internal structure, specifically identifying a deep region with low seismic wave rates comparable to the combined volume where Etna magmas are located.

This area is bounded by a broad band scale that dips towards the northwest.

A portion of the discontinuity caused by plate motions begins to define a larger volume overestimating the magma habitat and may act as a favorable pathway for magma transfer to the surface region.

These results illuminate the link between plate motions and magmatism at Etna, which explains its continued activity.

Etna is an active stratovolcano located in the Metropolitan City of Catania between Messina and Catania on the east coast of Sicily, Italy.

At the plate boundary, where the African and Eurasian plates meet, lies Italy’s highest peak south of the Alps, with a current elevation of 10,925 feet (3,330 meters). This height may vary due to summit eruptions.