An eruption on Mount Stromboli, a volcanic island off the coast of Italy, has caused part of the volcano's crater to collapse, triggering a pyroclastic flow (avalanche of hot ash and gas) which reached the sea, triggering a phreatic explosion (explosion caused by superheated volcanic material coming into contact with water). The incident, which caused no injuries or damage to property, happened slightly after 9.20 am local time on Sunday 9 October 2022, and was part of a cycle of volcanic activity which began on Thursday 29 September.
Stromboli has been in more-or-less constant eruption since at least Roman times, and is thought to be about 5000 years old, though it is not generally considered dangerous if not approached closely; there are three settlements on the island, all less than three kilometres from the summit. Stromboli is noted for frequent small explosive eruptions, which through lava bombs, ash and incandescent rock fragments out of the crater, a type of eruption known by vulcanologists around the world as 'strombolian'. The summit rises 924 m above sea level.
Southeastern Italy lies on the edge of the Eurasian Plate, close to its margin with Africa. The African Plate is being subducted beneath Italy on along a margin that cuts through the island of Sicily. The African plate is being subducted beneath Italy, and as it sinks is melted by the friction and heat of the Earth's interior. Some of the melted material then rises through the overlying plate fuelling the volcanoes of southern Italy.
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