‘Ash clouds from Mount Etna volcano not to affect Türkiye’

ANKARA

Following the claims that as Mount Etna volcano is spewing smoke and ash in new eruption and that these volcanic ash clouds are likely to descend toward Türkiye and cause acid rain, some meteorologists have stressed that it is unlikely for these clouds to impact the country.

Italy’s Etna volcano, the most active volcano in Europe, became active again on May 21. It was claimed on social media that ash clouds were coming toward Türkiye after the volcanic activity and that there was a risk of acid rain in the Aegean and partially in the Marmara region on May 24.

Upon these claims, the Turkish State Meteorological Service made a written statement, which said that according to the latest HYSPLIT Forecast Model forward trajectory analysis conducted by the bureau, the ash clouds originating from Etna are expected to move eastward over the sea passing through the south of Greece and are not expected to affect Türkiye.

Officials are monitoring the movement of the ash clouds 24/7, said the statement.

Mount Etna is an active volcano on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania, covering an area of 1190 kilometers and a base circumference of 140 kilometers. It is the highest volcano on the European continent. Its current height is 3,357 meters, but this height changes from time to time with eruptions at the summit.

It is one of the three largest active volcanoes in Italy, three times the height of its closest rival, Vesuvius, and 3.5 times that of Stromboli.

Mount Etna was also declared as a World Heritage Site in 2013.