On the early  morning of Saturday 23 October, Mount Etna restarts in style.

The South East crater had been showing signs of unrest for many days, with increasing tremblings and small lava fountains visible during the night. Everything was accelerated in the night between Friday 22 and Saturday 23. Until the start of yet another (perhaps 52nd ?) eruptive event of the great Sicilian volcano.

Poor visibility still makes it difficult to understand what happened at high altitude. Beyond the remarkable lava fountains and the ash and lapilli column that poured out on the north side (between Sant’Alfio and Taormina), numerous collapses were noted. Volcanologists counted more than one pyroclastic flow, all at the same time. Others happened in the following hours.

Pyroclastic flows are usually landslides caused by the collapse of parts of the crater or by the opening of new vents. Have new fractures opened in the gigantic body of the South East Crater? Have there been any collapses from its structure? The crater protagonist of this year of great events has tripled its size thanks to many continuous eruptions. It has even surpassed the height record held by the North East crater.

What happened is too early to tell. In the next few hours we will know. Meanwhile, the paroxysm is still going on. We will update as INGV experts give more precise news. (photos by G Musumeci)