THE FLYOVER – Sicily’s Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest and most active volcano, erupted early Monday, spewing a massive plume of ash and smoke several miles high.
The eruption, caused by a partial collapse of the southeast crater’s northern flank, triggered a fast-moving avalanche of hot ash, gas, and rock.
Lava fountains and flows followed, but the activity remained confined to the summit area, posing no immediate danger to nearby populations. Tourists shared footage of fleeing down the volcano’s slopes as a massive ash cloud loomed behind them.
By midday, the ash cloud emission had subsided, and the aviation alert was downgraded from red to orange, with minimal disruption to Catania’s airport.