Marsili submarine volcano risks analyzed following Sicilian seismic activity

The Marsili volcano, located in the Tyrrhenian Sea approximately 140 kilometers north of Sicily, has returned to scientific focus following recent seismic swarms in the Sicilian region. Experts emphasize that there is currently no confirmed or suspected correlation between the recent earthquakes and the activity of the volcano.

As Europe’s largest submarine volcano, Marsili measures roughly 70 kilometers in length and 20 to 30 kilometers in width. It rises approximately 3,000 meters from the abyssal plain, with its summit resting about 500 meters below sea level.

Scientific research, including a 2023 study published in the journal Geology, suggests that the primary risk associated with the volcano is not lava, but rather underwater landslides. Such landslides have the potential to generate tsunamis that could impact Italian coastlines. Studies of sediment layers have allowed researchers to reconstruct the geological history of the Marsili Basin over the last 50,000 years to better understand these recurrent volcanic events.