No, it wasn’t over yet. It never is until Etna decides so.

In the last hours of February 23, the eruptive activity triggered by the fracture at the base of Bocca Nuova Crater – which seemed to have ended the previous day – has regained strength. Although the main lava flow appears almost stopped, a new well-fed branch of fire has begun to give a further push alongside the previous one.

The sudden decrease in volcanic tremor had given the illusion of the end of the phenomenon, but volcanologists had immediately suspected that there was “more” to come. The interruption was too sudden and there was too much material still to be expelled. The start of this new phase could indicate that this eruption will still be very long… or it could mean that, in a few weeks, it will give way to different but equally spectacular phenomena. One thing is certain. Etna is alive and active. And it doesn’t seem to have any intention of disappointing its … “followers”!

THE PHOTOS ARE BY GRAZIA MUSUMECI, MARISA LIOTTA, GIOVINSKY AETNENSIS AND NERINA LANZA.