STROMBOLI ERUPTS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 10 (Supplement)

STROMBOLI ERUPTS

Passing Ships Stop To Watch Volcano

Stromlxili, the island volcano between. Messina and the mainland, was in full eruption all day yesterday, and made an impressive sight

Passing ships were slowed 'down so that their crews could admire the picture of the volcano throwing up tire, ashes and a river of lava from a height of-2700ft. Sailors of the south call it their lighthouse, but on Wednesday night it was a flaming torch. The eruption began late on Sunday afternoon, but only the staff of the Geophysical Institute in Messina were aware of the fact.

The Italian Government offered to take the inhabitants, numbering about 1800 fishermen and their families, off the island, but they refused to move. They said that, as the eruption started on the easterly slopes, called Sciara del Fuoco, there could be no danger either to their vineyards or cottages or to themselves.

The volcano last night gave the impression that, the whole cone of Stromboli mountain was on fire and that the inhabitants must be swallowed up. But as the track of the Are was on one side and the eruntion was confin id to the slope t .at runs into the sen, visitors who were watching from all kinds of craft could enjoy one of the greatest thrills of the world in perfect safety. The lava, bright red. but merely peat coloured, with patches of fire, in daytime crept slowly down to the sen. It looked like a prehistoric monster with its tail endlesly emerging from the top of the mountain. Its long, serpentine body was occasionally severed by deafening explosions. These were frequently followed by the throwing up of black blocks of lava the size of cottages. As this slow-moving carcass dipped into the sea a tremendous hissing emerged, followed by fountains of

steam, which rose violently. Then great clouds of smoke and ashes were thrown into the heated air. Each block of moving lava slipped into the water like it great mass of stone and stink.

Climbers were (forbidden to go up the mountain until danger had passed.