Mount Etna has erupted sending jets of fiery blaze and smoke into the sky and forcing flights cancellations from a nearby airport. Volcanic ash and lava from the mountain also rained down on houses and cars in Catania, Sicily’s second largest city. Experts classified the eruption as Strombolian activity, a moderate eruption with continuous but relatively mild blasts and a shower of rocks and lava fragments. The last major eruption was in 1992 when lava streaming down its slope at tremendous speed threatened Zafferana, a town of 7,000. Mount Etna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts thousands of visitors a year.

Source: Daily Mirror February 17, 2021 14:55 UTC