Etna Volcano

14/08/2026

Voragine Crater (VOR) in full explosive activity on 13 August 2026. The northern side of the pyroclastic cone has subsided, forming a summit graben inside which an eruptive fissure has opened. Lava emerges from the fissure and flows directly into the Northeast Crater (CNE), disappearing into its conduit without ever filling it.
Frame extracted from a video by , whom I thank.

09/08/2026

https://www.rainews.it/tgr/sicilia/video/2026/08/tgr-sicilia-08091-gurrieri-etna-1200-logomp4-ef18b164-79e6-46ce-8554-5ba8443ed0f5.html

Vi mostriamo in esclusiva le straordinarie immagini di un drone dell'Ingv che ha catturato in diretta l'apertura della terza bocca

01/08/2026

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/earth-science/articles/10.3389/feart.2026.1862758/full?utm_source=F-NTF&utm_medium=EMLX&utm_campaign=PRD_FEOPS_20170000_ARTICLE&fbclid=IwY2xjawTafrRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFJVFlxTlRxeml5VnFqQ1Vhc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHjQpnsdNWI_GJlo3y8LOi0BWNOieSK6FTADtI4G6bZhF0JbxOu0qjMJcI-U-_aem_Tuz4bBbP-sK_Kd-hdfyrFA

The 13 May 2008 d**e intrusion on the northern flank of Mt. Etna provides a rare case in which surface structural evidence can be directly compared with real...

15/07/2026

Published today in Frontiers in Earth Science

A new multidisciplinary study sheds light on one of the most intriguing recent intrusions at Mt. Etna: the 13 May 2008 northern d**e, a rare case where surface structural evidence can be directly compared with real-time geophysical observations.

🔹 Surface fractures reveal the d**e’s depth
The dry fracture field mapped on the northern flank provides robust geometric constraints, indicating a d**e tip between 200 and 600 m depth—fully consistent with deformation modeling and seismic data.

🔹 Earthquake mechanisms track the d**e’s final slowdown
High‑precision relocations and focal mechanism analysis show a clear evolution from normal/strike‑slip faulting to reverse faulting in the final stage, marking the onset of a localized compressional regime typical of d**e arrest.

🔹 Energy balance confirms the arrest
The cumulative seismic moment matches the energy expected from the modeled d**e, suggesting that the available elastic strain energy was nearly exhausted—another strong indicator that the intrusion had reached its stopping point.

📌 Why this matters
The convergence of structural, seismic, and energetic evidence makes the 2008 intrusion a benchmark case for rapid, real‑time assessment of d**e arrest—an essential capability for volcanic hazard mitigation at Etna and other active basaltic volcanoes.

👉 A powerful example of how integrated geophysical and structural analysis can improve our understanding of magma propagation and enhance civil protection strategies.

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/earth-science/articles/10.3389/feart.2026.1862758/full?utm_source=F-NTF&utm_medium=EMLX&utm_campaign=PRD_FEOPS_20170000_ARTICLE

25/06/2026

What remains of Chernobyl, forty years later?
In the second part of my reportage, I recount what endures, what changes, and what continues to burn beneath the surface — in a Europe that, even today, has yet to truly come to terms with that night (in Italian language).
Cosa resta di Chernobyl, quarant’anni dopo?
Nella seconda parte del mio reportage racconto ciò che resta, ciò che cambia e ciò che continua a bruciare sotto la superficie, in un’Europa che ancora oggi non ha fatto davvero i conti con quella notte.

Riprendiamo il racconto sul disastro nucleare di Chernobyl, avvenuto quarant’anni fa, sempre accompagnati dal giornalista Orazio Valenti che si recò più volte sui luoghi poco dopo l’esplosione, testimone diretto di un evento che ha cambiato per sempre il modo di percepire l’energia nucleare....

26/02/2026

🌋 New Research on Etna Just Published!
A new open‑access study from INGV–Osservatorio Etneo presents integrated monitoring of soil radon gas and seismic activity at Mount Etna (2023–2025).

The research shows that radon anomalies often precede increases in volcanic tremor and correlate with Strombolian activity at the summit craters — suggesting radon may act as a short‑term precursor of volcanic unrest.

📄 Quaternary (MDPI), 2026
🔗 Full article: https://doi.org/10.3390/quat9010016 (doi.org in Bing)
https://www.mdpi.com/2571-550X/9/1/16

This work presents the results of an integrated monitoring of soil radon gas and seismic activity at Mt. Etna from August 2023 to May 2025, aimed at enhancing comprehension of magma migration and eruption dynamics. Radon data were collected using a permanent station with an alpha particle probe, agg...

01/02/2026

🌋 Etna, December 26, 2018.
An earthquake that changed the lives of thousands of families. Damaged homes, blocked roads, wounded communities. From that day on, a difficult journey began — made of fear, bureaucracy, waiting… but also of competence, dedication, and the desire to start again.

Today I’m happy to share a result that holds special meaning for all of us:
📄 the publication of our scientific article in GeoHazards (MDPI), dedicated to the reconstruction model we built together, step by step.

💛 Behind this article is the work of many people.
Technicians, public officials, researchers, administrators, citizens.
There are those who spent months mapping damage, those who studied every single fracture in the ground, those who digitalized complex procedures to make them simpler and more transparent, those who listened to the stories of people who had lost everything.

💡 Our idea was simple and revolutionary at the same time:
to transform reconstruction into an opportunity to make the territory safer than before.
Not just repairing, but regenerating.
Not just providing financial support, but doing so with clear, fair, and verifiable criteria.
Not just drawing maps and identifying hazards, but also sharing knowledge openly and responsibly.

📌 In our article, we describe how the digital platform of the Extraordinary Commissioner brought together:
• parametric damage assessment,
• geohazard integration,
• administrative transparency,
• public monitoring tools,
• and a method that can be replicated elsewhere.

Yes, it is a technical work.
But above all, it is a human one — born from passion and determination.
A way to restore trust, to show that reconstruction can be done well, with rigor and with respect for people and for the land.

A heartfelt thank you to all the colleagues who shared this journey.
And thanks to the communities of Etna, who remind us every day why this work matters.

Post-disaster reconstruction requires instruments capable of ensuring procedural consistency, administrative transparency, and the systematic integration of geohazards, all of which are essential for safeguarding communities. This study presents the digital platform established under Italian Law 55/...

04/12/2025

🌋 Etna and the Fiandaca Fault: new discoveries on historical seismicity
A team of researchers studied the surface ruptures produced by the Fleri earthquake of December 26, 2018 (Mw 5.0), identifying evidence of two additional seismic events that occurred in the past: one between 1281 and 1926 (likely in 1894) and an even older one, between 757 and 894 CE. These investigations show that the Fiandaca Fault has experienced more intense seismic activity in recent centuries, with crustal movement rates nearly doubling compared to the Greek-Roman period.
👉 These findings confirm the importance of paleoseismological and morphotectonic studies for understanding seismic hazards in volcanic areas such as Etna.

Abstract. We present the first paleoseismological results along the Fiandaca Fault, source of the 26 December 2018, Mw 5.0 Fleri earthquake. This earthquake caused extensive damage and 8 km of surface faulting. We excavated two exploratory trenches close to the Fiandaca village, in the central seg...

04/11/2025

📄 New Publication Alert! How can we rebuild more safely after an earthquake? The 2018 Etna earthquake offers valuable insights.

🔍 This English-language paper explores how relocating buildings and revitalizing public spaces helped communities become more resilient—turning risk into opportunity.

💡 An innovative approach—replicated in other Italian contexts—that blends urban planning, scientific communication, and attention to psychological well-being.

📥 Download the full PDF here: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/15/9/333