Etna eruption: Is it safe to travel to Sicily? Are flights being cancelled?

This article was originally published in English

Travelers using Catania Airport, the largest in Sicily, face major delays and cancellations due to the last eruption of Etna.

The active volcano, the highest in Europe, has seen a significant increase in activity over the past week. Stromboli, on the nearby Aeolian island, could also erupt imminently.

The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology of Catania has reported that the ash emanating from Etna has reached the astonishing height of 4.35 kilometers.

As a result, much of the airspace near the volcano has been forced to cancel passenger flightsThis means that the number of arrivals at Catania airport is much lower than usual: only five per hour.

The airport has announced that normal service will resume at 3:00 p.m. local time.

What disruptions has the eruption of Mount Etna caused to air traffic?

So far, at least 90 round-trip flights have been cancelled at Catania airport, which has affected about 15,000 passengersRyanair alone has been forced to cancel 42 flights, the highest number of all airlines.

Easyjet has also been affected: “We are sorry that your flight has been cancelled,” they told passengers, “This is due to volcanic activity at CTA [Catania] is causing restrictions on the areas where planes are allowed to fly.”

A large part of travelers have encountered diverted flightsand many have arrived to Palermothe airport serving the capital of Sicily and located 4 hours drive from Catania.

Is Etna likely to continue erupting?

Italy’s Civil Protection Department has warned that this is not an isolated incident.

“Italy, along with Iceland, has the highest concentration of volcanoes assets of Europe and is one of the first countries in the world for the number of inhabitants exposed to volcanic risk,” they said in a statement. “In southern Italy There are active or potentially active volcanoes with varying degrees of danger.”

The department also advised locals and tourists to “follow the instructions of the civil protection authorities broadcast on radio, TV, in the daily press, on the Internet and by the various toll-free numbers that will be set up.”

They also gave instructions to the population not to enter the prohibited areas during eruptions, since “It is dangerous to approach the crater area even if there is no eruptive activity, sudden explosive phenomena or gas emissions are always possible.”

The mayor of Catania, Enrico Trantino, also issued an order stating that banned local population from using two-wheeled means of transport for 48 hoursIt also set a speed limit of 30 km/h due to the potential danger of driving on the ash.

Italy declares red alert for nearby Stromboli volcano in Sicily

Etna is not the only volcano causing problems in Sicily. Late on Thursday, Italy’s Civil Protection Department issued a warning Red alert by a possible eruption of the nearby Stromboli volcano, raising the potential threat level from moderate to severe.

Stromboli is in one of the Aeolian Islandslocated off the northeast of Sicily, and popular tourist destinations mostly in summer.

The decision was made after the department and local leaders assessed the “rapid evolution” of the volcano. Stromboli.

There have been publications of lava pouring into the sea and generating a column of smoke two kilometers high.

In a press release, Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) reported “effusive activity” at a fumarole located 700 meters above sea level. INGV added that “the seismic signal has remained at a very high level” and authorities have warned that the situation could deteriorate.

Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci said Stromboli was “under surveillance” and confirmed that there were emergency evacuation plans and that the firefighters had preventively doubled the number of personnel on the island.

Videos and images of Stromboli showed a spectacular giant ash cloud rising above the sea.

On the neighbouring island of Lipari, the mayor has put in place precautionary measures to protect the inhabitants of the small community.

Stromboli It is a tiny island, just 12 square kilometres in size and 924 metres high. It is formed by the summit of a largely submerged volcano, but it is one of the most active on the planet.

Even though it takes 90 years of almost continuous eruptionis a tourist attraction. The INGV claims that it is one of the few volcanoes in the world with almost continuous activity.

The Stromboli last erupted in 2022, with no casualtiesAn eruption in 2019, however, caused the death of a 35-year-old hiker from Messina and forced about 30 tourists to jump into the sea to reach safety.