Italy raises alert level to maximum after Stromboli volcano eruption – News

The decision to raise the alert level from orange to red and activate the pre-alert operational phase was taken during a meeting of the Civil Protection Department of the Sicily Region on Thursday.

The meeting was called “following the rapid development of activities affecting the volcano” on Mount Stromboli, which is characterised by continuous but low-intensity activity.

The Italian Civil Protection stressed that “regardless of the volcanic phenomena at the local level, which may have recurring variations, a state of marked imbalance in the volcano still exists.”

Authorities have asked residents of the island, where about 500 people live, to “stay informed and follow safety instructions carefully,” according to a statement from Italy’s Civil Protection.

The red alert level indicates the strengthening of the volcano monitoring system and allows Stromboli Civil Protection to count on the support of Italian Civil Protection experts.

The same note highlighted that the mayor of Lipari, the municipality that includes Stromboli, participated in the meeting and “has already put in place initial precautionary measures aimed at protecting” the island’s inhabitants.

The Italian Civil Protection said that Riccardo Gullo “will be constantly informed of the evolution of the situation in order to guarantee constant and correct information to the population.”

Stromboli Island is a popular tourist destination that attracts visitors from mainland Italy or the neighbouring island of Sicily who want to climb the volcano.

Stromboli is one of the few volcanoes still active in the Italian Aeolian Islands archipelago, with a height of 927 metres and an estimated depth of about 3,000 metres above sea level.

The last major eruption of this volcano occurred on July 3, 2019, killing one person and injuring another.