Massive Etna Eruption in Italy, People Flee in Panic

On Monday, June 2, Etna experienced another activity this year. The area around Europe's most powerful volcano was hit by volcanic tremors last night. The eruption intensified in the morning, when tourists were on the mountain's slopes. The explosion forced dozens of climbers to flee, trying to escape the ash on the lower slopes of the cone. The smoke plume reached a height of 6,400 meters and may pose a threat to flights at Catania airport in the coming hours.

Black smoke over Etna

People running in panic from a volcano, over which a huge cloud of black smoke is rising - these are the shots from Etna from this morning. One of the most active volcanoes in the world has made itself known again, this time surprising dozens of tourists who were near the southeastern crater, where the lava leaked out, when it erupted. Footage posted on the Internet shows participants of the trip running in panic down the black slopes of the mountain, protecting their eyes, nose and mouth from the ash floating in the air. At its peak, the cloud of smoke rose to an altitude of 6,400 meters, while Etna's summit is at an altitude of 3,357 meters above sea level.

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Threat to air traffic

According to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, in the case of this eruption we are dealing with Strombolian explosions, which may become stronger over time.

For now, flights are operating regularly, but the threat level for the area around Catania Airport has been raised to red. People planning to travel to the region today or tomorrow should therefore check the status of their flights as they go. "The impact on air traffic is not as much related to the height of the volcanic cloud as it is to the direction of the wind. The current clear and windless day does not cause the clouds to move towards Catania," reports the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

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