Etna volcano, Sicily, Italy

Eruptions, 1900-1996

• 15 Nov 1899 - Aug 1908: Central Crater active
• 29-30 April 1908: brief eruption from a fissure in upper Valle del Bove
• 20 May 1908 - 28 Sep 1909: Central Crater
• 23 March - 18 April 1910: major eruption on the S flank (2350-1950 m elev.): lava flows pass about 1 km W of Nicolosi
• 27 Dec 1910 - 17 Feb 1911: Central Crater
• 27 May 1911: collapse pit forms without eruption on NE flank of Central Cone; subsequently, NE Crater grows at this site
• Aug 1911: eruptive activity from NE Crater and Central Crater
• 10-22 Sep 1911: major eruption on the NE flank (2550-1650 m)
• Aug 1912: Central Crater
• 13 Nov 1913 - March 1917: activity from Central and NE Craters
• 24 June - early July 1917: strong lava fountaining from NE Crater, explosions from Central Crater
• March-Nov 1918: Central and NE Craters active
• 29(?)-30(?) Nov 1918: small eruption on NW flank (3100-1900 m); this event was not witnessed but its products were later found
• 15 March 1919 - early June 1923: Central and NE Craters active
• 17 June - 18 July 1923: major eruption on NE flank (2500-1800 m)
• 9 Oct 1923 - 1924: Central Crater
• 27 Dec 1924 - Feb 1925 NE Crater
• 2 Jan - June 1926: NE Crater
• 31 July - 20 Aug 1928: Central Crater
• 2-20 Nov 1928: major eruption on E flank (inside Valle del Bove and beyond its N rim at 2600, 2300-1400 and 1200 m elevation); town of Mascalíì destroyed by lava flow, five people killed by lava (doubtful reports!)
• 2 Aug 1929: NE Crater
• 1 Nov 1930: NE Crater
• late July 1931 - Sep 1933: NE and Central Craters
• 5-7 Jan 1934: NE Crater
• 7 July 1935 - Dec 1939: Central and NE Craters
• 16 March 1940 - late June 1942: Central and NE Craters; growth of cinder cones an dlava effusion within Central Crater; at the end of this eruptive period Central Crater is completely filled with lava
• 30 June - 5 July 1942: eruption from SW flank (2780-2250 m)
• 19 Sep 1942 - 15 Sep 1944: NE Crater active
• early June - Oct 1945: NE Crater
• Feb-Oct 1946: NE Crater
• 29 Jan - 24 Feb 1947: Central and NE Craters
• 24 Feb - 10 March 1947: major eruption from NE flank (with vents at 3050, 2350, 2300 and 2225 m elev.)
• 2 Dec 1949 - Jan 1950: eruption splits across summit and extends into fissure systems on the S flank (3200 m) and NW flank (at 3150 and 2425-1900 m elev.)
• 25 Nov 1950 - 2 Dec 1951: one of the largest eruptions of this century, from a fissure within Valle del Bove (2820-2250 m elev.); damage to arable land and isolated buildings
• 21 Sep 1951 - 30 May 1952: NE Crater active
• 30 July 1953: doubtful eruption from unknown vent(s)
• 5 April 1955 - 7 April 1956: vigorous activity from Central and NE Craters, large cinder cone grows within Central Crater; lava effusion from subterminal fractures within upper Valle del Bove
• 5 Feb - 7 May 1957: intense activity from NE Crater
• 25 Aug 1957 - 3 May 1958: intense NE Crater activity
• Nov-Dec 1958: Central and NE Craters active
• 23 March - late April 1959: Central Crater active
• 17 Oct 1959 - 31 Dec 1964: violent eruptive (explosive-effusive) episodes from Central and NE craters, growth of a large cone in the S part of Central Crater, forming a new summit
• 10 Jan 1966 - spring 1971: persistent activity with vigorous lava outflow from NE Crater; eruptive fractures related to NE Crater form in Valle del Bove in spring 1968; formation of a small collapse pit (Bocca Nuova) on the NW flank of 1955-56 cone in Central Crater; further collapse of this pit leads to its gradual enlargement
• 5 April - 12 June 1971: a multifaceted eruption occurs from a SW-NE striking fracture system from SE flank of Central Cone across Valle del Bove and beyond its N rim (from 3000-1800 m elev); destruction of the old Etna Observatory (near Torre del Filosofo) and lava flows threat several villages on lower E flank; destruction of isolated houses; formation of an explosive bocca that is to become SE Crater, Etna's fourth summit crater
• 19 Sep 1971 - March 1979: episodic activity from western Central Crater (Voragine) and further collapse of Bocca Nuova; at the end of this period, Voragine is completely filled with lava
• 30 Jan - 29 March 1974: eruption on the W flank (at 1670 and 1650 m elev.); formation of Monti de Fiore I and II and effusion of short stubby lava flows; first eruption on W flank since 1843
• 29 Sep 1974 - 29 March 1978: numerous eruptive episodes of NE Crater, formation of long-lived subterminal vents at 2625 m elev. in 1975-1976 and growth of a vast lava field; short episodes of vigorous lava fountaining and effusion after July 1977
• 29 April - 5 May 1978: flank eruption within Valle del Bove (3000-2575 m elev.)
• 24-30 Aug 1978: eruption from SE Crater and fractures within Valle del Bove (3000-2300 m)
• 18-29 Nov 1978: still another eruption from SE Crater and more fractures within Valle del Bove (2600-1675 m)
• 5 July 1979 - 3 Dec 1992: intermittent explosive-effusive activity from Bocca Nuova and Voragine; a phreatic explosion from Bocca Nuova on 12 Sep 1979 kills 9 tourists and injures <20 others
• 16 July - 9 Aug 1979: vigorous ash emission from SE Crater (causing closure of Catania airport), then lava emission from fissures across Valle del Bove and beyond its N rim; villages on lower E flank threatened by lava flows
• 11 Jan - Sep 1980: Strombolian activity from SE Crater
• 8 July - 26 Sep 1980: several episodes of violent lava fountaining from NE Crater
• late Jan - early March 1981: lava fountaining and effusion from NE Crater
• 17-23 March 1981: major and dangerous eruption on NNW flank (2250-1120 m elev.); high effusion rates; fast lava flows cut roads and railways and threaten the town of Randazzo and several villages; first eruption in that sector since <150 years
• 26 Nov 1981: NE Crater active
• 28 March - 6 Aug 1983: major and destructive eruption on S flank (2450-2250 m); lava flows destroy numerous buildings and tourist facilities in the Rifugio Sapienza area and above; efforts are made to divert the lava flow, but their success is subject to debate
• late April - 18 Oct 1984: long-lasting explosive-effusive eruption from SE Crater, similar to activity at NE Crater in the 1950's and 1960's
• 20 July - 1986: NE Crater active; this activity culminates on 24 Sep 1986 (see below)
• 8 March - 13 July 1985: major eruption on S flank (2620-2150 m); initially accompanied by activity from SE Crater; eruptive fracture cuts through "Piccolo Rifugio" but lava flows don't reach as far as in 1983
• mid July - 24 Sep 1986: Strombolian and effusive activity from NE Crater; initially reminiscent of activity in the 1950's and 1960's; very violent explosive activity with spectacular lava fountains on 24 Sep 1986 with ash fall reaching <100 km SSE from Etna; airport at Catania closed due to ash fall; formation of a large pit in NE Crater
• 30 Oct 1986 - 27 Feb 1987: major eruption from fissures in Valle del Bove (2900-2200 m elev.)
• early March - 16 May 1987: phreatic explosions and minor Strombolian activity from NE and SE Craters; phreatic explosion from SE Crater on 17 April 1979 kills 2 tourists and injures 7 others
• 4 Oct 1988 - 30 June 1989: Strombolian and effusive activity from SE Crater
• 11 Sep - 9 Oct 1989: vigorous lava fountaining and effusion from SE Crater and flank eruption within Valle del Bove
• 16 Dec 1989 - 15 Feb 1990: violent lava fountaining and effusion from SE Crater; explosive activity on 5 Jan 1990 is the strongest since many decades with up to 20 cm of tephra falling on the WNW flank and ash falling as far as the Aeolian Islands (!)
• July - 7 Aug 1990: Strombolian activity within Bocca Nuova
• mid Nov - 30 Dec 1990: Strombolian activitya within Bocca Nuova
• July-Aug 1991: Strombolian activity from SE Crater
• 14 Dec 1991 - 30 March 1993: major and destructive eruption from fissures on the high SW wall of Valle del Bove (at 3000 and 2400-2100 m elev.); lava flows repeatedly threaten the town of Zafferana Etnea; a variety of efforts are being made to divert the menacing lava flows; blasting of the master lava tube in mid-May leads to successful diversion
• 1993-mid 1995: occasional phreatic ash emissions from Bocca Nuova and NE Crater
• 29 July 1995 - present: Strombolian activity resumes at Bocca Nuova and NE Crater; numerous episodes of violent lava fountaining at NE Crater since early Nov 1995 (eight such episodes until 10 Feb 1996), followed by intermittent Strombolian activity

To the MTU volcano home page