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Several people hurt when volcano erupts in Italy

Ten people were injured – including members of a BBC crew — when Italy’s Mount Etna erupted Thursday and sent lava and rocks cascading on them, according to reports.

“Many injured – some head injuries, burns, cuts and bruises,” BBC science reporter Rebecca Morelle tweeted. “Very shaken though – it was extremely scary.”

“Running down a mountain pelted by rocks, dodging burning boulders and boiling steam – not an experience I ever ever want to repeat. Explosions like this have killed,” she added.

A volcanologist at the scene told her it was the most dangerous incident he had experienced in his 30-year-career.

Boris Behncke, a volcanologist at INGV-Catania, posted a comment on Facebook about the scary episode.





“Violent explosion at the contact between flowing lava and thick snow on Etna about one hour ago,” he wrote. “A few people injured, I received a bruise on my head but am generally fine and having a good, well-deserved beer in this moment!”

Several people were taken to hospitals in Catania and Acireale after the eruption Thursday morning, the Italian newspaper Il Corriere reported.

The 10,926-foot-tall volcano on the island of Sicily — Europe’s highest and most active — began erupting early Wednesday.

Giant rivers of lava could be seen pouring from the volcano as far away as Catania, about 18 miles away, and the resort town of Taormina.

Volcanologists later said the eruptive phase was “diminishing,” the Mirror of the UK reported.





Thursday’s incident was the result of a so-called phreatomagmatic eruption, caused by magma hitting water — in this case snow, Reuters reported.

An explosion at the volcano in 1979 killed nine people and wounded 23 others.





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Filed under italy , volcanoes , 3/16/17