Hundreds of vacationers have stormed the snowy slopes of Sicily’s Mount Etna in current weeks, congesting roads and obstructing the paths of rescue crews, the Italian authorities mentioned, regardless of their efforts to maintain individuals safely away from explosive lava flows.
Mount Etna repeatedly erupts, and it has drawn vacationers for many years. However the newest eruption, which started on Feb. 8, has drawn so many photographers, hikers and nature aficionados that it has raised a refrain of warnings and orders from native Italian officers.
Salvo Cocina, Sicily’s regional civil safety chief, in a statement Sunday described a “fixed circulate” of about 1,000 individuals, in addition to “wild parking on the sides of tight streets” that created an deadlock for emergency autos.
“With the darkish, the danger of falling and sinking into the snow will increase proportionally with the rise of individuals,” he mentioned.
“Etna is giving us a wide ranging spectacle: A lava circulate has reached our territory,” Mayor Fabio Mancuso of Adrano warned his city close to the foot of Etna a day earlier. “Lots of people are attempting to get nearer to admire this pure phenomenon, however this can be very harmful!”
He mentioned the lava colliding with snow might trigger violent explosions when the snow melts quickly, leading to high-pressure steam that may hurl rocks and lava an excellent distance. “A mortal hazard for anyone close to the circulate!” he mentioned in a social media publish. “For that reason I’ve signed an order forbidding anybody from approaching the lava entrance.”
In Ragalna, one other group on Etna’s slopes, the authorities ordered everybody to remain no less than 500 meters, or almost 550 yards, away from the lava circulate.
However because the authorities issued orders, individuals nonetheless gave the impression to be importing pictures and movies taken from the neighborhood of the lava flows. Videos shared by the corporate AccuWeather confirmed individuals snowboarding down a snowy slope whereas lava smoldered and molten chunks of fabric tumbled down within the distance. In a single clip, the silhouette of a sightseer’s physique might be seen in opposition to pink lava cascading not far within the background.
“Some individuals have independently managed to method sure areas, however native municipalities have now imposed restrictions to forestall entry to websites affected by the eruption for security causes,” mentioned Giulia Campisi, a spokeswoman for a volcano tour company, Go-Etna.
Ms. Campisi mentioned in an e-mail that the eruption was affecting Etna’s western flank, the place fewer vacationers know the paths. “To succeed in the lava circulate on this notably chilly winter,” she mentioned, “it’s essential to stroll for a very long time in deep snow.”
Go-Etna has not been taking vacationers on to the lava flows, she mentioned, including that it was abiding by native restrictions and security measures. She additionally cited the hazard that happens when scorching lava meets frigid snow.
“In some deeper spots, this could trigger a right away (and actually EXPLOSIVE) evaporation of the snow, ensuing within the projection of scorching stones, like bullets all over the place,” she mentioned. “Occasions like these can take even consultants abruptly.”
Stefano Branca, the director of the Nationwide Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, known as the exercise a “typical summit eruption.” He added, “Solely individuals who come inside a couple of meters from the lava circulate might be in peril as the warmth of the lavas could cause small hydromagmatic explosions attributable to the speedy melting of the snow.”
Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting.
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