Mount Etna facts: The mountain of fire
Italy a volcanically active country in mainland Europe with 29 volcanoes and 3 active volcanoes which have erupted in the last hundred years. Recent volcanic activity record in Mount Etna on March 2017.
Mount Etna facts: Is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is in an almost constant state of activity. Since 2011 there have been about 60 eruptions, the latest on March 16, 2017. Ten people were injured after an explosion sent scalding rocks shooting down the slopes of Mount Etna. Fortunately, none of the injuries caused by Etna’s most recent eruption were serious, according to report.
According to Italian news agency ANSA, four people including three German tourists were hospitalised, mostly with head injuries — though none of the injuries was listed as serious.
Since 2000, Etna has had four series of eruptions — in 2001, 2002–2003, 2004–2005, and 2008-2009. Summit eruptions occurred in 2006, 2007–2008, January–April 2012, and again in July–October 2012.
Italy’s volcanism is due chiefly to the presence, a short distance to the south, of the boundary between the Eurasian Plate and the African Plate. The magma erupted by Italy’s volcanoes is thought to result from the upward forcing of rocks melted by the subduction of one plate below another.
Where is Mount Etna?
Also known as the mountain of fire is the tallest active volcano in Europe, an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy. Located in the Metropolitan City of Catania, between the cities of Messina and Catania. It lies above the convergent plate margin between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate.
Volcanic activity first took place at Etna about 500,000 years ago. Eruptions occurring beneath the sea off the ancient coastline of Sicily. About 300,000 years ago, volcanism began occurring to the southwest of the summit. Then activity moved towards the present centre 170,000 years ago. Recently, volcanic activity built up the first major volcanic edifice, forming a stratovolcano in alternating explosive and effusive eruptions. The growth of the mountain was occasionally interrupted by major eruptions, collapsing of the summit to form calderas.
From about 35,000 to 15,000 years ago, Mt. Etna experienced some highly explosive eruptions. Generating large pyroclastic flows, which left extensive ignimbrite deposits. Ash from these eruptions has been found as far away as south of Rome’s border, 800 km (497 mi) to the north. Mount Etna facts/ Image Mount Etna, (Europe’s most active volcano. It spews lava during an eruption in the early hours of Thursday, March 16, 2017. AP: Salvatore Allegra).