In graphics | Can volcano eruptions be predicted?

Mount Etna in Italy, one of the most active volcanoes on Earth, erupted on Sunday, hurling ash and lava high over the Mediterranean island of Sicily. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy estimates that the eruptive column is roughly 4500 metres above sea level. According to the European Space Agency, Mt. Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in Europe, has been in an almost “constant state of activity” for the past ten years. Videos that have been circulated on social media depict massive lava and rock plumes shooting into the night sky. Catania Airport has remained operational in spite of the volcano’s activity and the ash precipitation, as per The Independent. In Europe, Mount Etna is not the only volcano under observation. Iceland has declared a state of emergency as the country also prepares for a volcanic eruption that might happen soon. Thousands of residents have been evacuated from the small coastal town of Grindavik as a result of earthquake swarms that were recorded there when a magma tunnel formed beneath the area. Let’s take a look at why volcanoes erupt and if we can predict an eruption.

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