1892 eruption
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Etna erupting from a chain of cones on the southern flank, now known as Monti Silvestri, in the summer of 1892. This eruption produced also a major lava volume and flows advanced menacingly towards the town of Nicolosi. A similar eruption today would cause significant damage.
Powerful summit crater eruption in 1964
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One of the most powerful eruptive episodes in recent decades occurred in 1964. During this activity, vents within the summit crater repeatedly ejected large volumes of ash, and lava overflowed the crater rim in many directions. As a result of this eruptive period, a new cone grew in the southern part of the summit crater, now partly destroyed by collapse of the Voragine and Bocca Nuova craters. This photo shows ash emission seen from Catania during the spring of 1964.
Southeast Crater in eruption, September 1989
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Bomb and ash emission from Etna's Southeast Crater on 29 September 1989, seen from nearby the Rifugio Torre del Filosofo (the building visible in the foregrund), upper S flank of Etna.
Activity from Southeast Crater, September 1989
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Closer view (from about 1 km distance) of Southeast Crater during a period of intense bomb and ash emission, 29 September 1989. Boms mixed with ash were ejected about twice per second from the rapidly growing cone.
Powerful explosive eruption, September 1989
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Powerful eruption from Southeast Crater on the morning of 27 September 1989, seen from Nicolosi (15 km distant). Vigorous lava fountaining feeds an ash and steam column rising about 4 km above the summit.
The summit cone and 1989-90 lava flows covered with snow, April 1990
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Snow-covered summit area of Etna seen from Montagnola, a high parasitic cone (produced during a 1763 eruption), on 6 April 1990, after the end of the 1989-1990 Southeast Crater eruptive phase. The large terminal cone is visible in the center, with Southeast Crater adjacent to the right. Lava flows from various eruptions (1971-1990) are visible on the slope gently descending towards the observer (called Piano del Lago), the darkest of them being the most recent.
Lava flows of the 1991-1993 eruption in Valle del Bove
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Lava flows of the December 1991-March 1993 eruption in Valle del Bove, on the evening of 20 March 1992. Numerous flows issue from ephemeral boccas
Night view of lava flowing in Val Calanna, March 1992
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View downwards from Monte Zoccolaro, about 500 m above the floor of Valle del Bove, on the evening of 20 March 1992. Braided lava flows are filling the Val Calanna and the artificial basin meant to keep the lava from flowing towards Zafferana village.
Lava advancing towards populated areas, March 1992
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Night view of lava flows running down Val Calanna, and towards inhabited areas. The threatened town of Zafferana lies out of the photo towards the right. 20 March 1992.
The only house destroyed during the 1991-1993 eruption
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One house was destroyed during the 1991-1993 eruption of Etna. This house had been illegally built far upslope above the town of Zafferana, on the floor of the Val Calanna which directly leads to the northern part of the town, right in the path of any lava flow expected to run down in the southern part of Valle del Bove. The owner of the house polemically wrote "thank you government" on the wall before the lava surrounded the building, indicating that efforts to divert the lava flow (which in the end were apparently successful) came too late. Shortly after the destruction, a woman notorious in the area for her admiration of Etna (leading her to call herself Etna!) placed the pole onto the ruin, saying "May peace prevail on Earth" in several languages. There is also a flagpole with the Italian tricolore, having "Also here we are in Italy" written on it.
House buried by the 1983 lava flow
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Home destroyed during the 1983 eruption on Etna's S flank. That eruption was far more devastating than the 1991-1993 eruption but produced only about one third of the lava volume.
Snow-covered Etna seen from Quattrocchi lookout, Lipari, April 1995
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Etna seen from Lipari, on an unusually clear day (10 April 1995). Etna lies about 200 km south of Lipari. Vantage point is Quattrocchi belvedere, in the W part of Lipari.
Continue with Etna's 1995-1996 eruptions
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