close to or even well within inhabited areas. Numerous villages and small towns lie around or on cones of past flank eruptions. Since the year AD 1600, at least 60 flank eruptions and countless summit eruptions have occurred; nearly half of these have happened since the start of the 20th century. Since 2000, Etna has had four flank eruptions - in 2001, 2002-2003, 2004-2005, and 2008-2009. Summit eruptions occurred in 2006, 2007-2008, January-April 2012, in July-October 2012, December 2018, and again in February 2021.

Geological history