Volcanic lightning spreads across sky after Mount Etna erupts in Italy. See photos and videos

Even though ash was spread into the air up to 10 kilometres above sea level, there was no casualty or damage.

Volcano lightning, Mount Etna eruption, volcano photos, lightning, Italy, indian express

Static electricity is generated and discharged within the volcanic plume due to the collision of volcanic ash particles (Source: AP)

Bolts of volcanic lightning were seen in the sky over eastern Sicily in Italy after a powerful eruption of Mount Etna earlier this week. Photographs shared by the Associated Press showed smoke billowing out and lava erupting from the volcano.

The AP reported that static electricity is generated and discharged within the volcanic plume due to the collision of volcanic ash particles.

Smoke billows from the Mount. Etna volcano (Source: AP)

Such volcanic storms are rare but can happen in particularly violent eruptions or with volcanoes located near the sea, a volcano expert with Italy’s National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology was cited as saying by phys.org.

Lava flows from the volcano (Source:AP)
Even though ash was spread into the air up to 10 kilometres above sea level, there was no casualty or damage.

General view of an eruption of the South East volcano of Etna (Source: Reuters)

A volcanic thunderstorm over Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy, generates volcanic lightning during an eruption (Source:AP)

Videos of Mount Etna eruption showed night sky getting lit up with explosions and bright red molten lava. Plumes of smoke and ash emerged out of the volcano.

#Etna is not exactly famous for producing pyroclastic flows, though they are pretty common during her violent paroxysmal episodes. Here is a nice little one during the powerful paroxysm on the evening of 10 February 2022. pic.twitter.com/p1b5HxuKr0

— Boris Behncke (@etnaboris) February 10, 2022

The first eruption of Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy, in 2022，Smoke column up to 10 kilometers🤔🤭 pic.twitter.com/NfFFOn0BXu

— cocoyang2491 (@cocoyang2491) February 12, 2022

Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy once again erupting… Another eruption has been seen this evening. #Etna #MountEtna #Italy https://t.co/nZpQuKWVPV

— WEATHER/ METEO WORLD (@StormchaserUKEU) February 11, 2022

Activity at #Etna's Southeast Crater has been increasing during the evening of 10 February 2022, and is now in a full paroxysmal phase, with lava fountains 500-600 m tall, lava flows to southwest and southeast, and an eruption column several kilometers high. pic.twitter.com/0dFHPYZAC5

— Boris Behncke (@etnaboris) February 10, 2022

During the most intense phase of the spectacular paroxysmal eruptive episode at #Etna's Southeast Crater on the evening of 10 February 2022, several lightning strikes occured in the eruption column, causing widespread amazement in the local population. pic.twitter.com/Nb1SnNm2Iy

— Boris Behncke (@etnaboris) February 12, 2022

Etna witnessed volcanic lightning in 2021 and 2015, volcanologist Boris Behnke told AP. Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in Europe and its eruptions are frequent.

In January this year, the underwater volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai in the Pacific Island nation of Tonga erupted after the region witnessed heavy rainfall, thunder and lightning. Satellite images showed the spectacular eruption with a plume of ash, steam and gas rising like a mushroom above the blue Pacific waters. The satellite images</strong> had taken the internet by storm.

Story continues below this ad

Before that, the Semeru volcano on the tallest mountain on Indonesia’s Java island erupted on December 4, 2021, spewing towers of ash and hot clouds. The eruption was accompanied by a thunderstorm and rain, which pushed lava and smouldering debris, and formed thick mud.