Unusual eruptions

Latest regulations

The authors of Stromboli online have been informed that, as of August 2007, the following regulations are in force on Stromboli:

Anybody can climb up to 400m.a.s.l.
Climbing above 400m.a.s.l. is allowed ONLY with an authorized guide.
Groups cannot be larger than 20 people.
The guide is identified by an official badge.
Groups can stay above 400m.a.s.l. from noon to midnight from May to September, and between 10am and 10pm from October to April.
Each tourist must pay a tax of 3 Euros to the guide.
Police will check that this payment has been made.
The guide evaluates tourists' fitness and equipment.
The guide must inform everybody of the difficulty and dangers of the excursion, has each tourist sign a document and wear a helmet.
The maximum number of tourist who can stay all together above 750m.a.s.l. is 80 (4 groups of 20 each). Above 750m, all tourists must stay INSIDE the shelters, not outside: two close to the helipad, two on the crest of Bastimento, two in Valle della Luna. The guides will share the available six shelters according to their needs and plans. Nobody can stop on Pizzo, which can be crossed only to reach the path going down back to Scari. The stop in the shelters cannot be longer than 30 minutes, and the total time spent above 750m.a.s.l. cannot be longer than 60 minutes, including crossing Pizzo. The guides organize the groups in such a way that each group spends 10 minutes in each of the 3 groups of shelters.
Scientists must also obey to these rules. If they require more time, thei must request a special permit directly from the Protezione Civile Italiana
In particular it is forbidden to stay above 400m.a.s.l. from midnight to noon from May to September, and from 10pm to 10am from October to April.
Violations will be punished by a fine of 500 Euro and prosecuted.
Guides who violate any of the above rules will be suspended and prosecuted.

The situation may change at any time. Therefore, the authors of Stromboli online are unable to guarantee that information given here is always up-to-date and correct.

2. April 2007 (update)

All lava flow activity stopped (ash emission from NE crater continued).

15. March 2007 (update)

=> Photos <=

On 15 March 2007 a major explosion occurred at 20:37 GMT time. This event was similar to the 5. April 2003 paroxysm. No people came to harm and no houses were damaged.

10. March 2007 (update)

A new effusive vent has opened on the Sciara del Fuoco during the afternoon of 9. March 2007. Lava is now also erupted at about 500 m.a.m.s.l., 100 meters above the altitude of the previous vent, and the eruption keeps being well fed.

27. February 2007

A new vent has opened, around 13:30 local time, below NE crater, from which lava is flowing down the Sciara del Fuoco. This is very similar to what happened during the latest effusive eruption, which had started on 28. December 2002. Clouds and vapour produced by the present eruption make direct observations of the vent difficult. However it is now sure that the lava flow is sustained, because it reached the sea in slightly more than one hour.

The lava flows over the steep slope of Sciara del Fuoco, and it is, therefore, accompanied by a series of small rockfalls. This may lead to instabilities of the slope. As a more voluminous rockfall cannot be excluded Stromboli inhabitants were advised by the Italian Civil Defense not to stay close to the shoreline, in order to minimize the risks from a possible small tsunami like the one which occurred on 30. December 2002. Civil Defense and INGV continue to monitor the situation.