Stromboli Volcano Erupts Again in Italy

The Stromboli volcano erupted again, causing concern to the residents of and visitors to this sparsely populated Italian island of about three miles in diameter. The area consists of a few hundred residents plus tourists who come to the little island retreat to see the volcano and enjoy the sights and the culture. Stromboli is located north of Sicily and is one of Italy's Aeolian Islands. The volcano is one of Europe's most active, with some of the longest ongoing activity in recorded history. It has been active from Roman times B.C. continuing through to today.

Stromboli is the summit of a mountain volcano that rises out of The Tyrrhenian Sea. The island is approximately 2,900 feet above sea level at it's highest point but the base of the volcano is 10,000 feet from the top down under the sea. Most of it's activity consists of smaller eruptions or explosions spewing in heights up to 200 meters above the volcanic crater.

There have been recorded eruptions in 1919, 1930 and in winter of 2002 through to the middle of 2003 the small island had to be evacuated from the tsunamis and volcanic explosions. The 1919 eruption threw 60 ton pieces of volcanic bombs that destroyed homes. The area records several earthquakes per hour and explosions from Stromboli can be just 10 minutes to hours apart

Stromboli has come to be nicknamed "The Lighthouse" and with good reason. It can be seen from some distance in the night skies as well as glowing red in photographic shots from space.

Tourists come just to see the spectacular nighttime eruptions and are able to get close to the volcano itself. Guided nighttime tours are available and visitors are not permitted to climb and visit the active volcano site without one. It is generally safe for tourists to view even up close as the normal eruptions are not dangerous but any visitor should be aware that it is potentially dangerous.

The island has only two small towns. One is Stromboli and the other Ginostra. To get from one town to the other it is necessary to take a boat trip, as the two towns are only accessible to each other by sea.

These newest eruptions caused concern that a larger eruption was on the way, but after experts examined the lava flows and volcanic activity by air, they came to the conclusion that the signs of a bigger pending explosion were not there.