Italy’s majestic Mount Etna erupts in fiery display as lava spews from crater over Sicily

Molten lava forcefully erupted from the Voragine volcanic crater on the majestic Mount Etna along the east coast of Sicily, Italy, on Thursday.

After three weeks of steadily intensifying volcanic activity, a violent Strombolian eruption sent a volcanic plume cloud over 3 miles into the sky in a dramatic display.

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Strombolian activity is a relatively low-level volcanic eruption, during which a modest amount of energy is released, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) said.

Authorities closed Sicily’s Catania airport on Thursday after streams of red-hot lava spewed from Mount Etna covering the skies in black smoke and ash. Layers of ash also coated nearby towns and people in Catania were seen sweeping ash off the streets.

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Footage posted by the INGV shows the spectacular images.

Mount Etna, a highly active volcano worldwide, sits atop the convergent plate margin where the African Plate meets the Eurasian Plate. This towering peak stands as one of Europe’s tallest active volcanoes and the highest point in Italy south of the Alps, currently exceeding 11,000 feet in height.

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Mount Etna is also believed to have the longest documented history of eruptions among all volcanoes, with records dating back to as early as 425 B.C.

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