Mount Etna’s Massive Eruption Captured From Space. See Photos

New Delhi: On June 2, Mount Etna, Europe's tallest and most active volcano, erupted, spewing molten lava down its slopes and sending a vast ash plume soaring up to 5 kilometres above Sicily. 

The eruption created a dense cloud of ash and smoke visible from miles away, prompting awe and concern alike across the region.

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite captured breathtaking images of the eruption just minutes after it began. 

Launched in September 2024, the satellite recorded the event from an altitude of 775 km, showing glowing lava streams in the Valle del Bove and a large pyrocumulus cloud drifting inland over Sicily. ESA also released data from its Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite, which detected sulphur dioxide emissions from the plume.

According to experts, the eruption began at 11:24 am local time due to increased internal gas pressure, which led to the partial collapse of one of Etna’s craters. 

This triggered a pyroclastic flow a fast-moving, superheated surge of gas and volcanic material sending a dense ash column high into the sky. The lava initially flowed in three directions before beginning to cool.

Most Powerful Eruption Since 2014

This eruption is the most significant since 2014, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). The volcano had been experiencing “intense and almost continuous” strombolian explosions in recent weeks. 

Fortunately, no injuries or major damage have been reported.

According to the latest update from INGV, Mount Etna’s eruption activity has ceased for now.