On June 2, Mount Etna, Europe’s highest Mediterranean island volcano, erupted dramatically, sending thick ash plumes into the Sicilian sky and prompting panic among tourists. The powerful eruption was captured on camera, and the footage has since gone viral across social media platforms.
The video shows chaotic scenes of tourists and locals running for shelter as the iconic volcano spewed ash, carbon, and sulfur into the air. According to CBS News, officials have reported no immediate danger to nearby residents but continue to monitor the situation closely. Authorities have urged the public to stay cautious, as volcanic activity remains ongoing.
INGV Confirms High-Intensity Explosions and Pyroclastic Flow
Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), which manages the volcano department, stated that the “explosions were of high intensity” and occurred continuously. The INGV-Ethneo Observatory further reported that surveillance cameras captured a pyroclastic flow at 11:24 am local time (09:24 UTC), likely caused by the collapse of material on the northern side of the Southeast Crater.
WATCH THE VIRAL VIDEO:
🚨 A stunning explosion from Mount Etna this morning caught everyone by surprise
Sicilia, Italy 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/iNkDOSRawB
— Mambo Italiano (@mamboitaliano__) June 2, 2025
“From preliminary observations, the hot pyroclastic material does not appear to have crossed the edge of the Valley of the Leo,” noted the observatory.
The explosive activity later shifted into a lava fountain, with seismic and infrasonic activity intensifying. The volcanic tremor reached very high levels, centered around the Southeast Crater area. While one deformation station showed variation, other monitoring networks reported no major changes.
Mount Etna’s Explosive Past
Mount Etna is no stranger to eruptions. Its last eruption occurred on December 1, 2023, featuring Strombolian activity and a lava fountain that sent an ash column as high as 6 km. That event affected surrounding areas such as Fornazzo, Sant’Alfio, Nunziata, Puntalazzo, Mascali, and Montargano.
With a documented eruptive history spanning 2,700 years, and volcanic origins dating back 500,000 years, Mount Etna remains one of the world’s most active and studied volcanoes.
