Tourists run as mount etna erupts sending giant cloud into air

ETNA IS THE MOST ACTIVE VOLCANO IN EUROPE BUT ACTIVITY HAS GROWN OVER RECENT HOURS WITH CONTINUOUS 'EXPLOSIONS OF GROWING INTENSITY' 11:49, 02 Jun 2025Updated 12:20, 02 Jun 2025

Tourists have fled in fear after Mount Etna erupted. A giant plume of smoke and ash could be seen over the volcano, one of Europe's most active. Over the past five year the volcano, on

the eastern coast of Sicily, has been going through an especially active period. On Monday the smoke could be seen for miles around. Videos from the area captured images of people running

from the area. Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology has said earlier today: "Over the past few hours, the activity flagged in the previous statement issued at

4.14am (3.14am BST) has carried on with strombolian explosions of growing intensity that, at the moment, are of strong intensity and nearly continuous. "Over the past few hours, the

falling of a little thin ash has been flagged in the Piano Vetore area." The eruption triggered a "code red" aviation warning from the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in

Toulouse. This was reduced to orange three hours after it was first issued where it currently remains. Article continues below This is the latest in a series of eruptions from the volcano.

In February tourists watched as lava flowed from the volcano. Mountain police in Italy had to warn tourists not to get too close as people flocked to see the spectacular event. Restrictions

were put in place at the time banning people from getting any closer than 500m from the lava flow. Visits were only permitted with a guide. During that eruption the huge ash clouds forced

flights to be diverted from Catania Airport.