Mount Etna in Sicily once again attracted global attention, sending several kilometres of smoke and ash clouds into the sky, putting up a spectacular display.
Despite the dramatic scene, authorities assured the public that volcanic activity would not pose a risk to the residents.
Authorities raised alert levels at Catania Airport on Monday in response to volcanic activity. However, flights continue as normal and no immediate confusion has been reported.
By the afternoon it was announced that an official update had stopped ejecting volcanic ash clouds.
According to the Italian Institute of INGV National Geophysics and Volcanology, the sight presented by Europe’s most active volcano was caused when parts of the southeastern crater collapsed, resulting in a cascade of hot lava flows. The incident marked the 14th such eruption stage in recent months.
The risk zone was limited to the Etna summit, which was closed to tourists as a precautionary measure, INGV’s Stefano Blanca said.
Sicily President Renato Shifani said the lava flow released in the eruption did not violate the volcano’s natural containment area, “substantially poses no danger to the population.”
According to Italian media reports, dramatic footage and images of the eruption quickly spread on social media as trembling from the event was felt widely in towns and villages on the sides of Mount Etna.
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