Mount Etna Eruptions Offer Spectacular Show (PHOTO)
Mount Etna, a volcano in Italy began erupting on Monday, just eight days after its last eruption.
Italy’s Civil Protection agency has noted that the volcano has had an increased amount of activity as of late, and this eruption is the twelfth to occur this year. The agency detailed that Etna's eruption lasted approximately two hours.
“On the early morning of 29 August 2011, the 12th paroxysmal eruptive episode of this year occurred at the New Southeast Crater, almost 8 days after its predecessor. This event generated tall lava fountains and an eruption column that caused ash falls in the southeast sector of the volcano, as well as various lava flows down the western slope of the Valle del Bove," the Osservatorio Vulcanologico dell’Etna stated in a report.
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Etna is what is considered a decade volcano, one of 16 volcanoes in the world that pose a serious threat of danger due to their proximity to civilization. There are several villages that reside among Etna's slopes.
No villages were affected by this eruption. The airport near Catania city, which often has to close for several hours to allow smoke to clear, was also not affected.
According to the The Osservatorio Vulcanologico dell’Etna, Etna has had a continuous series of eruptions since January.
"This latest paroxysmal eruptive episode, one of the shortest and most violent in the series of such episodes initiated in January 2011, occurred 8 days after its predecessor, a slightly longer interval than the previous ones."
Several videos of Etna's most recent eruption have been recorded and the show is being called "spectacular."
Mount Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe and the most active volcano in the world.
