Italy’s Mount Etna sends lava skyward

A lava fountain burst from Italy’s Mount Etna in Sicily on Monday during a series of eruptions that lasted for most of the day. The mountain, Europe’s largest active volcano, began shaking and erupting around 2:30 a.m. local time, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, or INGV. The intense eruptions, which ended about 8 p.m. local time, sent hikers fleeing as plumes of ash filled the air.

A video posted by INGV researchers near the site showed a pyroclastic flow of superheated gas and volcanic material cascading down the mountain with a loud roar and accompanying cloud. Three lava flows also erupted from Mount Etna, heading south, east, and north, the INGV said. The flows were cooling on Monday evening, local time, according to the INGV.

How did the eruption affect people in the area? Airlines canceled and delayed flights into Sicily’s Catania airport, affecting about 15,000 passengers’ travel plans, according to The Independent. Volcanic material fell as a fine red dust in a northwesterly direction from the mountain in the towns of Cesarò and Bronte, among others, according to the INGV. Ash also fell on the town of Piano Vetore.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read John Dawson’s report about a series of eruptions at Mount Etna in 2021.