EDIT* Pic removed
that was from January
A powerful paroxysm occurred at the vent SE of the SE crater of Etna volcano during the afternoon of July 9, 2011, and was observed close-up by Tom Pfeiffer. The eruption started with approximately 8 hours of slowly increasing strombolian activity, accompanied by increasing tremor since the morning of 9 July. Towards 14h30 h local time, the intensity rapidly increased into high lava fountaining lasting for ca. 1.5-2 hrs, generating a tall tephra column and producing heavy ash fall S-SE of the summit area. The eruption waned at around 17h00 and stopped around 18h00. A large lava flow with several branches went down into the Valle del Bove.
At 1 km distance, near Belvedere, approximately 1 meter of scoria lapilli and bombs were deposited, the upper parts of the dirt road towards Torre del Filosofo were completely buried and only recognizeable by the deliminating marker sticks at the sides of it. Although not in the main direction of the ash fall, the airport of Catania was temporarily closed due to ash fall.
Tom, together with Marco Fulle (VolcanoDiscovery Team), Giovanni Tomarchio (Rai 1), Etna mountain guides and other people watched the eruption from as close as safely possible from locations west of the bomb rain.

A powerful paroxysm occurred at the vent SE of the SE crater of Etna volcano during the afternoon of July 9, 2011, and was observed close-up by Tom Pfeiffer. The eruption started with approximately 8 hours of slowly increasing strombolian activity, accompanied by increasing tremor since the morning of 9 July. Towards 14h30 h local time, the intensity rapidly increased into high lava fountaining lasting for ca. 1.5-2 hrs, generating a tall tephra column and producing heavy ash fall S-SE of the summit area. The eruption waned at around 17h00 and stopped around 18h00. A large lava flow with several branches went down into the Valle del Bove.
At 1 km distance, near Belvedere, approximately 1 meter of scoria lapilli and bombs were deposited, the upper parts of the dirt road towards Torre del Filosofo were completely buried and only recognizeable by the deliminating marker sticks at the sides of it. Although not in the main direction of the ash fall, the airport of Catania was temporarily closed due to ash fall.
Tom, together with Marco Fulle (VolcanoDiscovery Team), Giovanni Tomarchio (Rai 1), Etna mountain guides and other people watched the eruption from as close as safely possible from locations west of the bomb rain.
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