Here we are in a distance of apprx. 750 m from the eruption place near of the Serra Cuvigghiuni. Standing in the middle of the inferno the hot wind from the lava flows did forced us to stop breathing for short times.
In the upper part of the fissure we made the experience of the strong heat radiation of the white lightning maglamava*. Without protection it was not possible to come closer as five meters to the canyons (left). Observing more details of the three eruption pipes from a closer range (100m) the event
got more spectacular. Beside this
impressive firework a real eardeafning noise was treating our tympanic membranes very bad. * maglamava = something between magma and lava
Until this point of time nobody came closer to this
place. The ejections of magma reached the height of maybe 100 meter. After I noticed that the outthrown lava bombs were ejected extremely near to my standing position, I decided not to approach further to the eruption
pipes. It's now 3.30 and I'm very tired and exhausted. Meeting Ulli and Andreas 100 m below my last view point we returned to our one kilometer far situated tent
very very happy.....
This images were made nine years later at the 27.10.2000. You can see how the big flow was moving through the forest area destroying the first houses 300 m before the city limit of Zafferana Etnea
On tour: Uli Hochmann, Andreas Heidl, Thorsten Böckel