Stromboli volcano erupts with lava and smoke after several explosions on Italian island

Several explosions inside of Italy’s Stromboli volcano sent enormous plumes of smoke into the sky and major streams of lava into the Tyrrhenian Sea over the weekend.

Lava oozed from the northern crater of the volcano after a partial collapse of the crater terrace, Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said. Authorities issued a middle-level warning to about 400 residents who live on the island – which is part of the Aeolian archipelago off the northeast coast of Sicily – after the eruption was confirmed on Sunday morning, the agency said.

The Stromboli volcano, active almost continuously for at least 2,000 years, has erupted several times this year alone, according to records from the Smithsonian Institution.

Video surfaced showing the partial collapse of the crater rim.

Another major explosion occurred Sept. 29 during a period of heightened activity.

See one of Europe’s most active volcanoes through the years.

Dangerous lava flow mostly averted residents and went into a chasm in the ground. Bigger explosions are known to trigger avalanches and tsunamis. Tsunamis generated from volcanic activity are rare events, according to the International Tsunami Information Center.

Although Stromboli volcano has been continuously active for centuries, residents of the island have largely avoided any major damages or casualties. In 2019, a tourist was killed while climbing the volcano when it erupted.