Mount Etna enters new eruptive phase with lava flows and high-altitude ash emissions

ByHarsh Vardhan

An explosive eruption from Mount Etna’s Southeast Crater was observed at 04:33 UTC on June 19, 2025, sending ash up to 6 000 m (19 700 feet) and producing lava overflows toward Valle del Leone. As a result, the Aviation Code was raised to Red.

mount etna italy june 2 2025 - by nadia spina

Credit: Nadia Spina

Mount Etna is in a renewed phase of explosive activity at its Southeast Crater that started during the late hours of June 18. The activity was first detected at 23:25 UTC (01:25 local time), and by June 19, an explosive eruption was observed at 04:33 UTC (6:33 local time), which led to ash plumes reaching an altitude of 6 000 m (19 700 feet).

A lava overflow has also been observed from the Southeast Crater, feeding a modest lava flow toward the Valle del Leone. This was first visible on surveillance cameras around 03:55 UTC. At 09:35 UTC, a smaller overflow was also seen toward the southeast.

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The ongoing ash emissions and volcanic ash are observed to be moving to the north-northeast. Sulfur dioxide has also been detected north of the volcano and within the vicinity of the ash cloud. Given the nature of events, aviation color code of red is in place.

Volcanic tremor amplitude, which is an important indicator of subsurface magmatic movement, began showing signs of increasing activity around 21:00 UTC (23:00 local time) on June 18.

While the trend initially exhibited fluctuations, it became more pronounced after 02:00 UTC (04:00 local time) on June 19, and by 02:40 UTC (4:40 local time), the tremor had reached high intensity levels.

A noticeable increase in infrasound amplitude was recorded at 09:30 UTC, in line with the renewed rise in tremor. But mostly technical issues have made it difficult to pinpoint the exact source of the tremor. The last reliable data placed it near the Southeast Crater. Infrasound activity coming from explosive degassing or small eruptions has also increased, and several low-amplitude events have likely come from that same crater.

Ground deformation data showed a change of about 0.20 microradians at the Punta Lucia tiltmeter station and about 106 nanostrain at the Monte Ruvolo dilatometer station. No changes have been recorded by the permanent Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) network so far.

Authorities have not issued any evacuation orders or alerts for local citizens at this time. Communities near the volcano, including the cities of Catania and Messina, along with many nearby villages, are the first in line from potential volcanic threats. Mount Etna dominates the eastern landscape of Sicily, Italy, as the continent’s tallest and most continuously active volcano.

References:

1 ETNA – 2025-06-19 11:53 utc – Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre – June 19, 2025

2 ETNA – 2025-06-19 08:42 utc – Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre – June 19, 2025

3 INVIO COMUNICATO GENERICO DI ATTIVITà VULCANICA – INGV – June 19, 2025

4 PRIMO COMUNICATO (VALUTAZIONE MULTIDISCIPLINARE) – INGV – June 19, 2025

My passions include trying my best to save a dying planet, be it through carpooling or by spreading awareness about it. Research comes naturally to me, complemented by a keen interest in writing and journalism. Guided by a curious mind and a drive to look beyond the surface, I strive to bring thoughtful attention and clarity to subjects across Earth, sciences, environment, and everything in between.

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