Mount Etna In Italy Erupted on Monday
Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, erupted on Monday morning, causing a chaotic scene at the popular Italian tourist attraction.
According to CNN, Italian authorities said the explosion caused plumes of gases, ash and rock to shoot "several kilometers high' into the air. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology Observatory said Etna has not seen an eruption of this magnitude since 2014.
The observatory defined the occurrence as a pyroclastic eruption, which caused a 'significant increase in volcanic tremor and the formation of an eruptive column containing a lethal mixture of high-temperature gases, lava grains, volcanic ash, and rock fragments of various sizes that rapidly descends down the slopes of the volcano.'
Videos of the natural phenomenon are circulating on social media, including shots of terrified visitors sprinting down the mountainside as the smoke billowed and lava began to flow.
In the video posted below, you can see one view of the moment the volcano erupted, and another angle showing tourists fleeing the scene.
Activity at Mount Etna reportedly began in the predawn hours, with tremors being felt between the hours of 10 p.m. Sunday and 1 a.m. Monday, before culminating with the massive eruptions later in the morning.
Explosions could reportedly be heard in Catania and Taormina, which are roughly 25 and 30 miles away from the volcano.
The Sicilian Civil Protection agency has ordered all flight activity away from the area. Airports in Catania and Palermo remain open, though some flights have been diverted.
Prior to today, Mount Etna's most recent eruption happened in February and disrupted several flights from the Catania airport.
Mount Etna In Italy Erupted on Monday first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 2, 2025
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