A dramatic video has showed the moment a volcano erupted – with clouds of ash and lava billowing into the air.
Mount Etna in Sicily experienced a Strombolian eruptive activity on Sunday evening, marked by lava fountains and an eruptive column reaching up to 4,500 metres above sea level.
According to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etna Observatory, the phenomenon started at around 6pm and concluded nearly three hours later.
The event was characterised by lava fountains in the southeast Crater and an eruptive column soaring to an elevation of 4,500 metres.
The ash fallout from the eruption covered nearby areas, including the municipalities of Milo and Zafferana Etnea.
Despite this, the Catania airport remained operational. Official data indicates that at 8.40pm, the Southeast Crater experienced pyroclastic flows, heading in various directions—predominantly south, southeast, and southwest.
While the activity was spectacular, it has ceased, and the volcanic personnel from the INGV are currently conducting surveys to determine the exact elevations of the lava fronts.
As is often the case in such events, the eruptive activity was accompanied by seismic activity.
Earthquakes with relatively low magnitudes were recorded, primarily occurring between 7 and 8pm yesterday.
