Mt. Etna 2014

I’ve been digging ditches - can’t see what Etna is doing - but she’s getting VERY LOUD behind those clouds.

I can’t wait to have a moment to check and see what she’s really up to! I’ll let you know as soon as I know.

peace & Eyes Open!

Quick added note:

I didn’t want to add but I will...

I heard on ‘FB” - locals have been asking ‘what’s the Plan B’ if/when Etna ‘really’ erupts (it seems that pyroclastic flow got to some people).

I’m not sure if I want to comment on this without some real firm truth and links behind it. I mean come on - Sicilians have been dealing with Etna since, well, forever.

A Plan B?

What’ Plan A? LOL

Nawwww, I’m going to have to find more information before bringing that to the boards here. I have a really hard time believing locals are 'up in arms' about this eruption.

That being said she is getting REALLY FREAKY LOUD! LOL!

peace

reply to post by silo13


Vis-a-vis the recent Greek island EQs and the legendary 'Atlantis' volcanic eruption, among more credible ones in history (Pompeii, for example), one cannot be too cautious. Do you have a Plan A (or B, or C, nervous ha, ha)?

Admire you for your on the scene reporting to all of us and wish you the best in your passionate pursuit of her.

Consider me another follower.

Thoughts and prayers with you.

Here is a link to the most recent update from INGV--Catania.
It included a link to this video of the activity from dawn this morning---She is still going strong.


You're the best for providing us such an intimate view of the action, Silo.
Get some rest.

reply to post by Olivine

Thanks for the info and vid.
I have to say - it still freaks me a bit I come to ATS to find out what's going on in my backyard - but until I find a cure for clouds - here I be!
And since I really relish sharing Etna with you all - it's a plus!
THANK YOU!
~ gracie

Do you have a Plan A (or B, or C, nervous ha, ha)?

I don’t have a 'daily' plan of any kind other than making sure my animals are covered when the ash starts falling - which it does often and to my great irritation.

But a plan for the ‘big one’? Hmmmm...

I’m on an island. If Etna really BLEW - I hope I’d be ‘taken out’ by her pyroclastic flow. Less appealing and less instantaneous and absolutely more hideously I’d suffocate on the ash or drown in the resulting tsunami. Ewww.

But - I’m not fatalistic. Death by Etna would be the way I’d chose to ‘go’ (I hope without too much sniveling) and in all honesty? How far could I run and how fast? The answer? Not far or fast enough - and no I don’t drive, lol!

BUT!

Having said that? Recently I've been contemplating draining my cistern dry of water in order to use it as a 'bunker‘ for me and my animals if I thought (or saw) impending imminent destruction and doom headed our way. I’d stock up the 10 X 8 space with food, water, etc. I could even run power and an internet line ‘down there’ (Must stay in touch with ATS as long as possible)!

Sooo, you might wonder why I’ve been contemplating this just recently? I mean it’s not like other ATS’ers have asked me over the years ‘what I’d do’ ’just in case’.

But now? I’ve found love. True love!


I’ve a new Dachshund puppy and she’s become the very light of my life. How could I look into her huge lipid seal eyes and say - ‘Naw, we’re not even going to try’. (By the way her name‘s Medusa and it means ‘guardian’. Cool that, huh).

So yes, I might drain the cistern. Blame it on puppy love and puppy breath but I’m mulling over how to outsmart our Vulcanessa!

All kidding aside - I think (???) being underground would/could save us.

Problem is? For how long. THAT’S the drawback. But I am thinking about it.

So very nice to see you here! Thank you for joining us!

peace

reply to post by silo13


Well, at least if she does, and you've 'bunkered down'...you have plenty of friends here who can send the rescue services in!
Medusa ......what a great name!

Rainbows
Jane

I don't know why I was under the impression that Etna was a shield volcano, guess it was because I always just associated it with the lava flows, like Kīlauea. Now that I see it's a strata volcano I'm thinking, OMG!!

reply to post by AlexanderM

Yes, Etna is Strato!

Stratovolcanoes, also known as composite cones, are the most picturesque and the most deadly of the volcano types. Their lower slopes are gentle, but they rise steeply near the summit to produce an overall morphology that is concave in an upward direction. The summit area typically contains a surprisingly small summit crater.

The eruptive history of most Stratovolcanoes is delineated by highly explosive Plinian eruptions. These dangerous eruptions are often associated with deadly pyroclastic flows composed of hot volcanic fragments and toxic gases that advance down slopes at hurricane-force speeds.

info link

Interesting point - the article points out this 'type' of volcano erupts 'infrequently'.

Well, not so Etna. She’s the most active volcano in Europe - if not the world.

Point - After 15 or more years of 'watching' Etna? She's been changing. Lately her eruptions have not been more frequent as much as lasting longer and not 'acting' like her normal self.

Is that paranoia? No, it's fact.

That sounded dramatic didn't it! It wasn’t meant to especially since my ‘timeline’ is a mere 15 years and Etna’s timeline? It's ageless!

peace

Yes, look at Kīlauea that erupts frequently with the lava flows and that is what Etna has been like for, as long as I can remember, so I just thought there the same. Seems to me that Etna's behavoir is quite strange for a Strata, but if she changes and becomes like a true Strata, then it becomes extremely dangerous, obviously.

reply to post by silo13


Hi Gracie, thanks for the video!
The second one that you linked to looks like it was actually an older one from 2006, uploaded in 2009. Still spectacular...

Stunning. She’s just stunning this morning.
I’m not so sure if I didn’t see more pyroclastic flow - I’ll have to check as soon as I’m done here. If nothing else it was another (smaller) collapse from the top down (this morning).


I’ll be back - I just wanted to share this ASAP.

Eyes Open

reply to post by sageturkey

Hi SageTurkey
About the vids - glad you liked them - not sure which one you're speaking of that was old and updated.
The 'Must See' video?
It may have been a collection of a few videos but the pyroclastic flow was definitely from a couple days ago.
Hmmm, I'll go back and check the other video.

Eyes Open & Thanks!

peace

There's a little avalanche there - in the browns...


Eyes Open for sure today!

That stupid thing puts on a show only when i'm not in my home town!
But all in all, it just reminds me how "bedda" my sicily is, thanks for the post!

Gracie, I see you had an earthquake:


Magnitude mb 4.4
Region SICILY, ITALY
Date time 2014-02-13 11:30:44.0 UTC
Location 38.39 N ; 15.29 E
Depth 146 km
Distances 285 km N of Valletta, Malta / pop: 6,794 / local time: 12:30:44.0 2014-02-13
127 km SW of Catanzaro, Italy / pop: 95,251 / local time: 12:30:44.0 2014-02-13
32 km NW of Messina, Italy / pop: 252,026 / local time: 12:30:44.0 2014-02-13
25 km NW of Saponara, Italy / pop: 4,131 / local time: 12:30:44.0 2014-02-13

Has this changed her activity at all, hope you are ok there.

10:00 local time - She’s starting to make a good deal of noise.

Small ‘crollo’ (collapses) can be seen with the naked eye.

I’ve got pics, but need time to process them. I’ll post as I can.

Point of interest - The Island suffered a 4.4 EQ this morning north and east of Etna.

As far as prognostics go? All I’ll say is I’ve got my battery in the charger and the windows open.

*Wonders if anyone will ‘get’ the ‘windows open’ comment. We’ll see.

Eyes WIDE Open

Edit to Add:

THANK YOU to WhatNext21 for saving me the time and your going to the trouble of adding links for the EQ. I'm a little frazzled right now getting ready for what's coming up.

peace

I know - it's not much of a capture but you can see the small collapse.

Look for the lighter tan/brown colored 'cloud like' formation just below and to the right of the sumit.


Will do better next time - that one was caught on the fly.

Eyes Open

reply to post by silo13

OK, so are you saying her normal activity has changed Gracie? Sounds like it.
Happy Valentines to you and Mrs Etna btw!
Rainbows
Jane

What a sweet little pooch you've got there! Happy Valentine's Day to you and your new love!
Thanks again for keeping us updated.

It's like she just keeps springing leaks.
The whole side is blazing with lava - and nothing coming from the top.
Very eerie sight - I hope I can share later.
For now - she's quiet - but back to the slow bleed.
It's so hazy out not much is showing on the web cams - but it's there.

Eyes Open