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ETNA UPDATE, 12 FEBRUARY 2014, 10:00 GMT

A new period of mild, persistent Strombolian and effusive activity started on the late evening of 21 January 2014 at Etna's New Southeast Crater (NSEC), and is continuing as of 12 February. Lava emission has been taking place, at fluctuating rates generally lower than 1 m3 per second, from a cluster of vents on the lower eastern flank of the NSEC cone, feeding repeated surges of lava that descended toward the Valle del Bove to a distance of 3-4.5 km from the vents. The Strombolian activity at the NSEC itself is occurring, at times simultaneously, at times alternatingly, from two vents within the crater, with jets of incandescent lava generally rising no more than 100 m above the crater rim; only occasionally, the ejecta fall outside the crater, onto the flanks of the NSEC cone. Periodically the Strombolian activity is more ash-rich, generating dilute plumes of ash.

On the morning of 11 February 2014, a landslide originated from the area of the effusive vents on the lower eastern flank of the NSEC cone, generating a pyroclastic density current that descended toward the Valle del Bove and reached a distance of 3.5-4 km in about one minute. This event is described in detail in a separate report.

The volcanic tremor amplitude is at slightly elevated levels.

Further updates will be timely provided as the situation evolves.