Ancient volcano under major European city wakes up

Its once empty magma chambers are filling up with scorching lava and red-hot gasses for the first time in thousands of years.

Now scientists say that the silent hills aren’t dead after all, they just erupt very rarely – and their next big explosion is long overdue.

The area is only 120 miles north of Mount Vesuvius, which famously destroyed Pompeii, entombing its residents in burning ash for 1,500 years.

Its also only 15 miles from the heart of ancient Rome, where its lush green hills have provided a popular spot for day-tripping Romans.

Millions of tourists could also be at risk, including Brits, with Rome being the EU's third most visited city after London and Paris.

Scientists say that new steam vents at the volcano, increased earthquakes in recent years and a rise in ground level prove that an eruption is due.

Now a new study has found that Colli Albani becomes active every 31,000 years and has not erupted for some 36,000 years.

Fabrizio Marra, who studied the hills with colleagues from Rome's Sapienza University, said volcanoes in the Alban Hills were waking up.

He said: "The surprising results reveal these volcanoes are anything but extinct. They are moving out of a dormant state and are waking up."

"We will now need to closely monitor the volcanic area for the foreseeable future," Mara told English language news site The Local.The geophysicist said that though an eruption was overdue it could happen at any time over the coming millennium.

In the meantime, a cone may form in the area and smaller eruptions could occur, though there should be plenty of warning.

Mr Marra told the American Geophysical Union: "We expect for sure some initial stages which may not be so explosive, but it may evolve in time".

(dailystar.co.uk)