Etna volcano update: Intense strombolian activty and lava flows from New SE crater

Strong strombolian explosions in rapid succession and lava effusion continue from the New SE crater with little variation during the past days. An ash plume is rising a few 100 m. Tremor has dropped a bit yesterday, but remains elevated.
Whether Etna is heading towards a true paroxysm with lava fountains is unclear, but if the new phase of activity is similar to the previous episodes, it might continue the same type of activity at fluctuating levels for a while and then fade.
The lava flow's main branch, issued from a fissure vent at the upper eastern rim of the NSEC, is headed to the northeast and has now a length of approx. 2 km. Its wide active front has reached the base of the Valle del Bove. Two secondary arms divide from the main flow and are flowing more to the east towards the break in slope into the Valle del Bove east of the NSEC (s. thermal image).

This new activity at the New SE crater had started on 9 August and gradually intensified until Monday, then dropped a bit and has been stagnating since.
Along with the appearance of lava at the NSEC, the explosive-effusive activity from the vents at the eastern base of the NE crater, which had continued through the past weeks, gradually waned and ceased on 10 or 11 Aug.