The Etna volcano in Sicily is haunted by fire and lava.
Thick smoke rises into the sky.
The explosion startled residents from their sleep.
Catania - Huge forest fires are raging in Sicily.
On the night of Monday, the Etna volcano erupted again.
Glowing lava flowed from the crater on the southeast side into the valley.
The National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) reports from the 3,300 meter high mountain to around 2,800 meters above sea level.
INGV posted a photo of the volcanic eruption on Facebook.
Etna eruption scares residents from sleep - "awakened by the roar"
The authorities did not report any major damage or injuries caused by the Etna eruption.
In the nearby city of Catania (300,000 inhabitants) the walls and floors are said to have trembled, local media report.
Eyewitnesses report extremely violent activity of the volcano on social media.
"The explosions are like deaf roars that make all windows and doors vibrate in unison without wind or other noises in the quiet of dawn," writes a Twitter user.
“Woken up by the roar - everything trembles here.
Etna gives us a good morning, ”comments one user.
Attività violentissima dell '# Etna con fontana di lava da cratere di SE ed esplosioni avvertite in tutto l'hinterland di #Catania.
Le #esplosioni sono come boati sordi che, senza vento o altri rumori, nel silenzio dell'alba, fanno vibrare all'unisono tutte le vetrate e le porte pic.twitter.com/BZKThJk3tW
- elivito 💭 (@elivito) August 9, 2021
At Catania airport, however, there may be delays in take-offs and landings due to the Etna eruption, Aeroporto di Catania tweeted on Monday morning.
Etna eruption and forest fire in Sicily
Emergency services are currently fighting numerous forest fires in Sicily.
Especially in the province around the city of Palermo there is a fire in many places.
Fires also hit the east coast of the island.
Etna - the most active volcano in Europe
It is a natural spectacle when Etna is haunted by fire and ashes. Glowing lava flowing over the mountain into the valley. Photos of an eruption - especially at night - are impressive. The Etna volcano on the island of Sicily is the most active in Europe. Researchers observe him very closely. There are shorter outbreaks every few weeks. Lava bubbles explode on the surface. According to experts, this is a common and harmless phenomenon. Mount Etna itself is over 3,300 meters high and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name Etna comes from the Greek "Aitne" and means: "I'm on fire".
In February 2021, an Etna eruption made for spectacular images. Users shared photos and videos of the natural spectacle on social networks. In 2018, a series of earthquakes around the volcano hit Sicily. The extent of the destruction was enormous.
(dpa / ml)
