Mount Etna’s craters continue to smoulder two days after its largest eruption in four years sent tourists fleeing from a vast column of gas and ash on Monday.
Tourists have returned to the slopes of Europe’s largest and most active volcano, which sent tourists fleeing when black ash surged several kilometres into the sky. Italian authorities were quick to quell fears that people were under any danger.
Etna has erupted more than a dozen times already this year, including in February, when thousands of tourists flocked towards the volcano to witness the spectacle. Monday’s eruption began at around 3.50am local time (2.50am BST), following volcanic tremors which began around midnight local time.
“Such intense volcanic activity had not been recorded since February 2021,” said Stefano Branca director of the Etna Observatory in Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. The agency said the volcano was experiencing strong strombolian explosions – a type of eruption – “of growing intensity”.
The main concern in the days following the eruption is air traffic disruption, said Dr Stuart Black, geological expert at the University of Reading. “Commercial aircraft typically fly at similar altitudes as where the volcanic material is reaching, so persistent activity could force flight rerouting in the region,” he said.
Key Points
- Mount Etna eruption worst in four years
- Video shows some tourists fleeing volcano, while others ran to take photos
- What made Mount Etna's latest eruption so rare
- Volcanologist reveals exactly what happened at Mount Etna
- Why is Mount Etna known as 'Lady of the Rings'?
Why is Mount Etna known as 'Lady of the Rings'?
09:12 , Alex CroftMount Etna has been nicknamed the ‘Lady of the Rings’ due to the rings it produces made of condensed water vapour.
But what are they?
The rings were first spotted erupting from Etna in the 1970s, in one of the first recorded events of this type. The rings came again in 2000, 2013 and 2023.
In 2024, Etna again puffed volcanic vortex rings from its crater.
The rings are formed of gas which escapes from underground magma, tour company Etna Way explains.
“They only form under certain conditions: the gas must rise quickly upwards in a narrow, round and regular vent, as after an explosion of a gas bubble in the magma.
“The gas rises faster in the centre of the vent than at the edges, where it is slowed down by friction.
“As a result, the gas begins to rotate around itself. This is how these rings can form, which then rise further upwards or are blown away by the wind,” Etna Way explained.
Report: Tourists ignored warning signs before Mount Etna eruptions
08:41 , Alex CroftTourists have been reminded to check for warnings before climbing towards the summit of Italy's Mount Etna after an eruption sent plumes of ash into the sky and hikers scurrying for safety.
The volcano is Europe’s most active, and the continent’s largest and attracts hikers and backpackers to its slopes while less adventurous tourists can take it in from a distance.
Salvo Cocina, head of Sicily's Civil Protection Department, said dozens of hikers ignored warnings issued early Monday morning, after initial signs of increased activity were detected on Europe's largest active volcano.
Etna could have spewed 20,000 tons of toxic gas - report
08:14 , Alex CroftMount Etna could have spewed as much as 20,000 tons of toxic gas shortly before its eruption, it has emerged.
High concentrations of sulfur dioxide - which can be harmful to humans if inhaled at significant levels - were likely expelled from the volcano, according to experts.
“The summit typically releases between 2,000 and 3,000 tons of sulfur dioxide gas per day,” Salvatore Giammanco, a geologist at Italy’s National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), said in 2010 according to the Daily Mail.
“Before an eruption it can reach 20,000 tons per day,” he added.
Etna eruptions will continue, Volcano expert tells The Independent
07:30 , Stuti MishraEruptions at Etna won’t subside following yesterday’s huge eruption caused tourists to flee down the slopes, Volcano expert Giuseppe Salerno has said.
Mr Salerno, head of Volcanology at Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, said: “Etna is always erupting, so we cannot expect that these will stop. The last eruption was on 12 May.
“The eruption that happened yesterday is within a sequence that started in the middle of March, but before [that] there was another eruption that lasted from February to March, and then again in December.”
He added that environmental authorities are “not monitoring a big uprise in fresh magma”.
New video of tourists fleeing emerges
07:00 , Stuti MishraUK government's advice on visiting Sicily
06:30 , Stuti MishraThe UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not released any new travel advice relating to Mount Etna’s eruption as of Monday morning.
The FCDO’s general advice for volcanic eruptions states that you should follow any guidance and instructions shared with you by local authorities.
“If you are asked to evacuate, do so as soon as possible and take your key documents (for example, passport) and necessary supplies (for example, medication) with you,” the FCDO adds.
“If you are not told to evacuate but are in an affected area, you should shelter in place. Close any windows and turn off air conditioning or HVAC systems. Ensure that you have enough basic supplies (including food, necessary medication and bottled water) given power may be affected and water supplies may be contaminated. If you cannot get basic supplies to shelter in place, you may need to evacuate.
“If you go outside, cover your skin and wear a mask or other face covering, as volcanic ash could irritate your skin and airways.”
Mount Etna tours reopen
06:00 , Stuti MishraEruptions at Etna won’t subside following yesterday’s huge eruption caused tourists to flee down the slopes, Volcano expert Giuseppe Salerno has said.
Mr Salerno, head of Volcanology at Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, said: “Etna is always erupting, so we cannot expect that these will stop. The last eruption was on 12 May.
“The eruption that happened yesterday is within a sequence that started in the middle of March, but before [that] there was another eruption that lasted from February to March, and then again in December.”
He added that environmental authorities are “not monitoring a big uprise in fresh magma”.
This was Mount Etna's 14th eruption since mid-March
05:30 , Stuti MishraMonday's eruption of Mount Etna came after a 19-day lull, but the volcano has been active recently.
In fact, this was the 14th episode since mid-March. The most recent pyroclastic flows with significant reach were recorded on 10 February 2022, 23 October 2021, 13 December, 2020, and 11 February 2014.
What made Mount Etna’s latest eruption so rare
05:00 , Stuti MishraWhile Mount Etna frequently erupts, the defining event of Monday’s eruption was the more rare pyroclastic flow from the southwestern crater, not visible from a distance.
The volcano is Europe’s most active and the continent’s largest. Etna attracts hikers and backpackers to its slopes, while less adventurous tourists can take it in from a distance, most stunningly from the Ionian Sea.
Etna’s latest eruption caused neither injuries nor evacuations but sent a group of tourists running on its flanks, as captured by a video posted on social media with smoke towering in the background.
Authorities emphasised there was no danger to the population, and the pyroclastic flow, a fast-moving mixture of rock fragments, gas and ash, was limited to about 2 kilometres (more than a mile) and didn’t go beyond the Valle del Leone, or Lion Valley, which forms a natural containment area.
Etna eruption style is 'peculiar and difficult', says expert
04:30 , Alex CroftThe style of eruption which was seen from Mount Etna on Monday was “peculiar and difficult”, Volcano expert Giuseppe Salerno has told The Independent.
Paroxysmal eruptions are short, intense bursts of volcanic activity which result in the thick columns of black gas and ash seen rising from the Sicilian mountain yesterday.
The eruptions are “quite peculiar and difficult, because they last two hours for five hours” before a period of time where there is no activity, he said.
But this form of eruption is common on Mount Etna and there have been hundreds in the last three decades, Mr Salerno, head of Volcanology at Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, explained.
“Etna can produce also this kind of eruption every day. So it's not something anomalous [or] abnormal. It's something quite typical.
“Since 2011, it became the prevalent eruptive style on Mount Etna.”
Volcanologist reveals exactly what happened at Mount Etna
04:00 , Alex CroftOn Monday morning local time, a huge cloud of ash, hot gas and rock fragments began spewing from Italy’s Mount Etna.
An enormous plume was seen stretching several kilometres into the sky from the mountain on the island of Sicily, which is the largest active volcano in Europe.
While the blast created an impressive sight, the eruption resulted in no reported injuries or damage and barely even disrupted flights on or off the island.
Volcanology expertTeresa Ubide writes:
What is pyroclastic flow?
03:00 , Alex CroftWhen Mount Etna erupted, huge plume of pyroclastic flow ejected explosively form the Sicilian volcano.
But what is pyroclastic flow?
The extremely dangerous mass of volcanic rock, ash and hot gases surges from a volcanoes crater at a speed of hundreds of kilometres per hour.
“Pyroclastic flows (dense mixes of gas ash and volcanic particles) are very dangerous because of the high speed in which they move and the high temperature,” said Dr Carmen Solana, Volcanology professor at the University of Portsmouth.
“Of course inhaling the particles can be harming too, especially if hot.”
National Geographic says the flow is “extremely hot, burning anything in its path”.
How often has Mount Etna erupted this year?
02:00 , Alex CroftMount Etna is considered the most active volcano in Europe, and the most active stratovolcano in the world (a stratovolcano is what most people consider a volcano, namely a conical formation, often with a central crater, formed by layer upon layer of lava from repeated eruptions).
So it is no wonder that Mount Etna has erupted countless times in the thousands of years it has been documented.
But how many times has it erupted this year?
The short answer: A lot; and continually.
The Global Volcanism Program records “continued activity” at Mount Etna consistently from mid-February, when there was a major eruption.
On 23 April and 13 May, there were notable additional eruptions, with lava fountains and ash plumes observed.
Video shows some tourists fleeing volcano, while others ran to take photos
01:00 , Rachel ClunWhile dozens of tourists ran down Mount Etna as the volcano spewed ash and gas on Monday, others ran up a slope to take pictures of the spectacle.
Video shows people both fleeing from and going towards the plume, although still from a distance.
Volcanologist Professor Dougal Jerram told The Independent said volcano eruptions can be quite spectacular, which attracts visitors.
“It's always a battle to try and make sure people are safe. But also there's a certain element of needing people to be able to see and appreciate the natural phenomenon as well as understand the beauty, but also the risks with such an amazing mountain,” he said.
“While [authorities are] constantly monitoring what's happening, they need to be able to warn people when things are more dangerous. But obviously, once you get to relatively passive eruptions, there is a potential for people to sort of almost become volcano tourists.”
Mount Etna’s worst disaster
Wednesday 4 June 2025 00:00 , Alex CroftResidents of Sicily are familiar with the eruptions of Mount Etna; today’s eruption is the 14th in recent months.
Rarely are people injured or killed. During a February eruption this year, officials were even forced to try to stop people from heading towards, not away, from the spewing Mount Etna, as tourists tried to snap the dazzling flows of bright orange lava.
But previous eruptions have been devastating.
Worst among them was in 1669. At least 20,000 citizens, mainly from the nearby city of Catania, are believed to have died after a massive, months-long eruption. Approximately 3,000 people living on the side of the volcano died of asphyxiation, while a further 17,000 below died after refusing to flee their homes, believing the city’s defensive walls would protect them.
Stunning image of pyroclastic flow witnessed as ‘lava fountain’ erupts
Tuesday 3 June 2025 23:01 , Alex CroftA pyroclastic flow – a powerful avalanche of hot rock, ash, and gas – was witnessed on Mount Etna surveillance cameras at around 11:30am local time on Monday, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.
This was “probably produced by a collapse of material from the northern flank of the South-East Crater”, according to a statement from the institute.
The hot pyroclastic material does not appear to have crossed the edge of the Valle del Leone, it said.
However, the explosive activity from the Southeast Crater has become a lava fountain, the institute said.
What made Mount Etna's latest eruption so rare
Tuesday 3 June 2025 22:01 , Alex CroftMount Etna, the volcano that towers over eastern Sicily, has again captivated the world with a spectacular show, spewing smoke and high into the sky.
But the defining event of Monday’s eruption was the more rare pyroclastic flow from the southwestern crater not visible from a distance.
The volcano is Europe’s most active, and the continent’s largest. Etna attracts hikers and backpackers to its slopes while less adventurous tourists can take it in from a distance, most stunningly from the Ionian Sea.
Read more:
Why is Mount Etna known as 'Lady of the Rings'?
Tuesday 3 June 2025 21:00 , Alex CroftMount Etna has been nicknamed the ‘Lady of the Rings’ due to the rings it produces made of condensed water vapour.
But what are they?
The rings were first spotted erupting from Etna in the 1970s, in one of the first recorded events of this type. The rings came again in 2000, 2013 and 2023.
In 2024, Etna again puffed volcanic vortex rings from its crater.
The rings are formed of gas which escapes from underground magma, tour company Etna Way explains.
“They only form under certain conditions: the gas must rise quickly upwards in a narrow, round and regular vent, as after an explosion of a gas bubble in the magma.
“The gas rises faster in the centre of the vent than at the edges, where it is slowed down by friction.
“As a result, the gas begins to rotate around itself. This is how these rings can form, which then rise further upwards or are blown away by the wind,” Etna Way explained.
What is the government's advice on visiting Sicily?
Tuesday 3 June 2025 20:00 , Alex CroftThe UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not released any new travel advice relating to Mount Etna’s eruption as of Monday morning.
The FCDO’s general advice for volcanic eruptions states that you should follow any guidance and instructions shared with you by local authorities.
“If you are asked to evacuate, do so as soon as possible and take your key documents (for example, passport) and necessary supplies (for example, medication) with you,” the FCDO adds.
“If you are not told to evacuate but are in an affected area, you should shelter in place. Close any windows and turn off air conditioning or HVAC systems. Ensure that you have enough basic supplies (including food, necessary medication and bottled water) given power may be affected and water supplies may be contaminated. If you cannot get basic supplies to shelter in place, you may need to evacuate.
“If you go outside, cover your skin and wear a mask or other face covering, as volcanic ash could irritate your skin and airways.”
New video of tourists fleeing emerges
Tuesday 3 June 2025 19:29 , Alex CroftMount Etna tours reopen
Tuesday 3 June 2025 19:00 , Alex CroftTourism and trekking tours on Mount Etna are open following yesterday’s eruption, a tourist company has confirmed to The Independent.
Tours have restarted but they cannot go up to Etna’s summit, and aren’t allowed any further than 2,900 metres, tourism company Go Etna said.
It is unclear when tours will be allowed to operate as normal.
Pictured: Peaceful landscape as Etna furiously erupts
Tuesday 3 June 2025 18:30 , Alex CroftA view of Mount Etna from an ancient Sicilian theatre
Tuesday 3 June 2025 18:01 , Alex CroftBelow we have photos sent to us from tourists visiting Sicily.
Here, you can see the eruption of Mount Etna from the Ancient Theatre of Taormina, some 18 miles away.
Etna's deadly past
Tuesday 3 June 2025 17:30 , Alex CroftInspiring ancient Greek legends, Etna has had scores of known eruptions in its history. An eruption in 396 BC, has been credited with keeping the army of Carthage at bay.
In 1669, in what has been considered the volcano’s worst known eruption, lava buried a swath of Catania, about 23 kilometers (15 miles) away and devastated dozens of villages. An eruption in 1928 cut off a rail route circling the mountain’s base.
Volcanologist reveals exactly what happened at Mount Etna
Tuesday 3 June 2025 16:59 , Alex CroftOn Monday morning local time, a huge cloud of ash, hot gas and rock fragments began spewing from Italy’s Mount Etna.
An enormous plume was seen stretching several kilometres into the sky from the mountain on the island of Sicily, which is the largest active volcano in Europe.
While the blast created an impressive sight, the eruption resulted in no reported injuries or damage and barely even disrupted flights on or off the island.
Mount Etna eruptions are commonly described as “Strombolian eruptions” – though as we will see, that may not apply to this event.
Weather 'crucial' factor in eruption impact - but wind speeds low until Wednesday evening
Tuesday 3 June 2025 16:23 , Alex CroftWind speeds will be low around Mount Etna in the days following the huge explosion, which could significantly reduce its impact across a wider area.
“Weather patterns over the next two to three days will be crucial in determining ash dispersal patterns and any potential impacts on aviation routes,” said Dr Stuart Black, head of the School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science and University of Reading.
"The prevailing southwestern wind patterns may actually benefit regional agriculture by dispersing mineral-rich, fine-grained volcanic ash across farmland, acting as nature's own fertiliser.”
Mountain Forecast weather channel shows that wind speeds will peak at 5kph around Mount Etna for the remainder of Tuesday into Wednesday afternoon.
From Wednesday evening, wind speeds will pick up to around 15-25kph, remaining at this level for the rest of the week.
Etna eruptions will continue, Volcano expert tells The Independent
Tuesday 3 June 2025 15:50 , Alex CroftEruptions at Etna won’t subside following yesterday’s huge eruption caused tourists to flee down the slopes, Volcano expert Giuseppe Salerno has said.
Mr Salerno, head of Volcanology at Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, said: “Etna is always erupting, so we cannot expect that these will stop. The last eruption was on 12 May.
“The eruption that happened yesterday is within a sequence that started in the middle of March, but before [that] there was another eruption that lasted from February to March, and then again in December.”
He added that environmental authorities are “not monitoring a big uprise in fresh magma”.
Etna eruption style is 'peculiar and difficult', says expert
Tuesday 3 June 2025 15:15 , Alex CroftThe style of eruption which was seen from Mount Etna on Monday was “peculiar and difficult”, Volcano expert Giuseppe Salerno has told The Independent.
Paroxysmal eruptions are short, intense bursts of volcanic activity which result in the thick columns of black gas and ash seen rising from the Sicilian mountain yesterday.
But this form of eruption is common on Mount Etna and there have been hundreds in the last three decades, Mr Salerno, head of Volcanology at Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, explained.
“Etna can produce also this kind of eruption every day. So it's not something anomalous [or] abnormal. It's something quite typical.
“Since 2011, it became the prevalent eruptive style on Mount Etna.”
Ash cloud from Etna eruption 'not life threatening', says expert
Tuesday 3 June 2025 14:27 , Alex CroftThe cloud of ash and gas which dramatically spewed from Mount Etna on Monday is not life threatening, an expert has told The Independent.
“Pyroclastic flows (dense mixes of gas ash and volcanic particles) are very dangerous because of the high speed in which they move and the high temperature,” explains Dr Carmen Solana, associate professor of Volcanology at the University of Portsmouth. “Of course inhaling the particles can be harming too, especially if hot.”
However, the ash and gas from Etna is in general “a nuisance but not life threatening”, Dr Solana said.
“Etna's eruptions are typically less intense but the events of today are not unheard of,” she added.
In pictures: The volcanic blast which has mesmerised the world
Tuesday 3 June 2025 13:55 , Alex Croft
Mount Etna eruption mapped: How often does Italy’s ‘Lady of the Rings’ volcano erupt?
Tuesday 3 June 2025 13:23 , Alex CroftMount Etna has erupted on Monday, sending a kilometres-high plume of ash into the sky and sending tourists fleeing from the popular World Heritage area.
Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said the eruption began around 3.50am local time (2.50am BST), following volcanic tremors which began around midnight local time.
The institute said eruption activity has continued since then with “increasing intensity” and was currently “almost continuous”.
Rachel Clun reports:
Mount Etna eruption mapped: How often does Italy’s ‘Lady of the Rings’ volcano erupt?
Why is Mount Etna known as 'Lady of the Rings'?
Tuesday 3 June 2025 12:51 , Alex CroftMount Etna has been nicknamed the ‘Lady of the Rings’ due to the rings it produces made of condensed water vapour.
But what are they?
The rings were first spotted erupting from Etna in the 1970s, in one of the first recorded events of this type. The rings came again in 2000, 2013 and 2023.
In 2024, Etna again puffed volcanic vortex rings from its crater.
The rings are formed of gas which escapes from underground magma, tour company Etna Way explains.
“They only form under certain conditions: the gas must rise quickly upwards in a narrow, round and regular vent, as after an explosion of a gas bubble in the magma.
“The gas rises faster in the centre of the vent than at the edges, where it is slowed down by friction.
“As a result, the gas begins to rotate around itself. This is how these rings can form, which then rise further upwards or are blown away by the wind,” Etna Way explained.
How the Etna eruption played out
Tuesday 3 June 2025 12:20 , Alex CroftUniversity of Queensland professor of Volcanology Teresa Ubide writes:
The eruption began with an increase in pressure in the hot gases inside the volcano. This led to the partial collapse of part of one of the craters atop Etna.
The collapse allowed what is called a pyroclastic flow: a fast-moving cloud of ash, hot gas and fragments of rock bursting out from inside the volcano.
Next, lava began to flow in three different directions down the mountainside. These flows are now cooling down. On Monday evening, Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology announced the volcanic activity had ended.
Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, so this eruption is reasonably normal.
Etna eruption may be beneficial for local farming, says expert
Tuesday 3 June 2025 11:49 , Alex CroftMount Etna’s eruption on Monday may prove to be beneficial for local farming, an environmental and geological expert has said.
Current wind patterns in the area could help fertilise nearby farmland by dispersing mineral-rich ash, saidDr Stuart Black, head of the School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Reading.
"The prevailing southwestern wind patterns may actually benefit regional agriculture by dispersing mineral-rich, fine-grained volcanic ash across farmland, acting as nature's own fertiliser,” Dr Black wrote.
“Locally around the volcano, there may be some risks to farming, but the broader dispersal could prove beneficial.”
Can we forecast volcano eruptions? Volcano expert explains
Tuesday 3 June 2025 10:59 , Alex CroftTeresa Ubide is an ARC Future Fellow and Associate Professor in Igneous Petrology/Volcanology at The University of Queensland.
Volcanic eruptions are a bit like weather. They are very hard to predict in detail, but we are a lot better than we used to be at forecasting them.
To understand what a volcano will do in the future, we first need to know what is happening inside it right now. We can’t look inside directly, but we do have indirect measurements.
For example, before an eruption, magma travels from deep inside the Earth up to the surface. On the way, it pushes rocks apart and can generate earthquakes. If we record the vibrations of these quakes, we can track the magma’s journey from the depths.
Rising magma can also make the ground near a volcano bulge upwards very slightly, by a few millimetres or centimetres. We can monitor this bulging, for example, with satellites, to gather clues about an upcoming eruption.
Some volcanoes release gas even when they are not strictly erupting. We can measure the chemicals in this gas, and if they change, it can tell us that new magma is on its way to the surface.
When we have this information about what’s happening inside the volcano, we also need to understand its “personality” to know what the information means for future eruptions.
Air traffic disruption is principal concern, says expert
Tuesday 3 June 2025 10:49 , Alex CroftThe main immediate concern following Mount Etna’s major eruption on Monday is air traffic disruption, an expert has said.
"The immediate concern is air traffic disruption. Commercial aircraft typically fly at similar altitudes as where the volcanic material is reaching, so persistent activity could force flight rerouting in the region,” said Dr Stuart Black, head of the School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Reading
“However, most volcanic episodes like this are fairly short-lived,” he added.
Dr Black added that the activity is unlikely to cause the “large-scale climate perturbations we've seen from other major volcanic events”.
Mount Etna tours reopen
Tuesday 3 June 2025 10:16 , Alex CroftTourism and trekking tours on Mount Etna are open following yesterday’s eruption, a tourist company has confirmed to The Independent.
Tours have restarted but they cannot go up to Etna’s summit, and aren’t allowed any further than 2,900 metres, tourism company Go Etna said.
It is unclear when tours will be allowed to operate as normal.
New video emerges of fleeing tourists
Tuesday 3 June 2025 10:04 , Alex CroftIn pictures: Tourists take selfies touring Mount Etna
Tuesday 3 June 2025 09:17 , Alex Croft
What is the government's advice on visiting Sicily?
Tuesday 3 June 2025 08:47 , Alex CroftThe UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not released any new travel advice relating to Mount Etna’s eruption as of Monday morning.
The FCDO’s general advice for volcanic eruptions states that you should follow any guidance and instructions shared with you by local authorities.
“If you are asked to evacuate, do so as soon as possible and take your key documents (for example, passport) and necessary supplies (for example, medication) with you,” the FCDO adds.
“If you are not told to evacuate but are in an affected area, you should shelter in place. Close any windows and turn off air conditioning or HVAC systems. Ensure that you have enough basic supplies (including food, necessary medication and bottled water) given power may be affected and water supplies may be contaminated. If you cannot get basic supplies to shelter in place, you may need to evacuate.
“If you go outside, cover your skin and wear a mask or other face covering, as volcanic ash could irritate your skin and airways.”
