ANSAThu, 16 Mar 2017 14:58 UTC
Ten people were injured Thursday by an explosion from one of the craters of Etna which is currently active, local sources said. None are in serious condition, the sources said. Six of them will be taken to hospitals in Catania and Acireale. The explosion took place on Etna's Belvedere near Nicolosi when lava touched the snow on the volcano's peak, sparking a so-called "phreatic explosion" at an altitude of 2,700 metres, sources said.
Pyroclastic material sent flying like shrapnel hit a group of trekkers.
Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano, has shown lava spouts and ash plumes in recent days.
Foreign tourists including three Britons are among the 10 people hurt by a "phreatic" explosion caused when lava from Mt Etna hit snow on Thursday. The three have been taken to Acireale hospital with scrapes caused by the flying fragments of suddenly cooled rock. Another foreign tourist is in the ER at Catania's Vittorio Emanuele Hospital, also with flesh wounds.
Comment: Further reading:
Is something strange happening deep inside the Earth?
Why are "giant fountains of lava" suddenly pouring out of some of the most dangerous volcanoes on the entire planet, and why are so many long dormant volcanoes suddenly roaring back to life? The spectacular eruption of Mt. Etna in Italy is making headlines all over the world, but it is far from alone. According to Volcano Discovery, 35 major volcanoes either are erupting right now or have just recently erupted, and dozens of others are stirring. So what is causing this upsurge in volcanic activity? Is something strange happening inside the Earth?
Birds and whales get lost all the time, people getting crazy .... nah, media would tell that and scientists would call an alarm. Wouldn't they?