Lava overflow and spattering intensify at Stromboli volcano, Italy
Intensifying spattering activity in the northern area led to a lava overflow down the upper Sciara del Fuoco at Stromboli volcano in the Aeolian Islands, Italy on Tuesday, December 24, 2024. INGV reported it was accompanied by heightened seismic activity and increased tremor amplitudes.
Stromboli volcano on December 24, 2024. Credit: INGV
The Stromboli volcano exhibited increased eruptive activity early on December 24 as spattering in the northern crater zone intensified. The activity generated a lava overflow that remains confined to the upper Sciara del Fuoco slope.
According to the INGV’s Etneo Observatory, the overflow began at 05:20 UTC following an explosive event at 05:14 UTC. The explosion produced pyroclastic materials that funneled into the upper portion of a canyon within the volcano.
Seismic data captured at 05:14 UTC indicated a signal with slightly higher energy than usual and was consistent with the explosive event. This was followed by a 5-minute period of increased tremor levels.
Tremor amplitudes initially recorded as high escalated to very high values before settling back to high levels later. Instrumental readings from clinometric and GPS networks showed no deformation linked to the activity.
INGV documented Strombolian activity at 4 vents in the northern sector and 3 vents in the south-central crater area from December 2 to 8. Explosions in the northern vents occurred at a rate of 9 to 13 events per hour with ejecta reaching up to 150 m (500 feet) above the vents. The south to central vents saw lower frequency explosions (3 to 8 per hour) with tephra reaching heights exceeding 250 m (820 feet).
A period of intense spattering on December 4 at vent N2 in the northern area caused a lava overflow starting at 03:09 UTC. The lava flow descended the upper to mid-slopes of the Sciara del Fuoco and remained active for approximately 2 hours, ending at 05:45 UTC.
Stromboli is a stratovolcano that rises to an elevation of 924 m (3 031 feet). It is renowned for its Strombolian eruptions and is characterized by mild explosive activity and lava flows. Its active summit vents are situated at the Sciara del Fuoco, a slope formed about 5 000 years ago by massive landslides.
Stromboli’s eruptive history spans millennia and records of activity date back to over a thousand years.
Continuous activity since February 2, 1934, includes eruptions classified with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 2. The volcano’s frequent activity has earned it the moniker “Lighthouse of the Mediterranean.”
References:
1 Stromboli – INGV – December 24, 2024
2 Stromboli – GVP – Accessed on December 24, 2024
Rishika holds a Master’s in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she earned a gold medal, and an MCA from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India. Previously, she served as a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a Junior Writer for Europe Monitor on the Global Politics website and as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week. Her work has also been published in The Hindu newspaper, showing her expertise in global affairs. Rishika is also a recipient of the Women Empowerment Award at the district level in Haryana, India, in 2022.
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