A sudden spike in the poisonous gas levels has forced three hundred Vulcano island residents to flee their homes.
People are forbidden from staying in their houses as they may be too exposed to dangerously high levels carbon dioxide or sulphur dioxide.
These gasses escape from fumaroles (holes in the ground) and rise through mudbaths to warm the ocean around the island. It is a tourist haven because of its thermal properties.
However, CO2 levels rose five-fold in the past month, from 80 to 480 tonnes to indicate that there’s less oxygen in the atmosphere. This can lead to cats passing out on the streets and to people getting sick.
The carbon dioxide levels in Vulcano have increased five-fold from normal to 80 tons (file photo). This means that there is more oxygen in the atmosphere. The port has an official’red area’ that requires 300 residents to leave their homes every month.
This island was named for its volcano. The volcano has been quiet since 1888.
Carlo Doglioni (head of the Italian National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology) stated that he has seen it before: high levels of carbon dioxide can cause death.
Named after the island’s volcano, it is part of Aeolian archipelago, which also includes Stromboli which burst spectacularly in 2019.
Marco Giorgianni is the Mayor of Vulcano. He has declared the port an’red area’ and ordered its evacuation. Residents will no longer be allowed to stay there between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The mayor stated that the unconsciousness of sleeping would prevent them from detecting the dangers.
He also created a yellow zone where individuals can live in their own homes, but must only be allowed to sleep on the higher floors.
Non-resident tourists are also prohibited from visiting the island during this month.
People who are evacuated will be moved to another part of the island. The island is home for around 1000 people.
According to an Italian National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology report, carbon dioxide levels are ‘abnormally’ high around the volcano’s calderet.
Local media reported that many families evacuated their homes late October, due to gasses. This was after the civil protection office issued an alert about’significant’ volcanic parameter changes.
Numerous residents stated that their pets got sick from the exhaust.
Stefania Lombardo, an Italian journalist, said that she suddenly saw her 10 cats lying down on the ground as though they were passing out. She also added, “I didn’t feel well, and I was having difficulty breathing.”
Lombardo said, “They thought it was a panic attack. Then the doctors confirmed that there was a crater-exhalation problem.
Marco Pistolesi from the University of Pisa is a volcanology professor. He said the higher emissions were ‘never seen before’.
This file photo shows the volcano’s crater surrounded by smoke from fumaroles.
Giorgianni stated that while grants will be made available by the municipality to assist those who are forced to move, life will continue as normal on the island.
Angela Borgia who owns a restaurant near the harbour said that although islanders were worried about the gasses they would not be able to transport the sick or elderly for the night.
She said, “We understand it’s for our safety. We accept it.”
Romans believed the island to be Vulcan’s chimney, their fire god. Vulcan has been said to have labored below the Earth as a blacksmith.