Mount Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, spewed smoke and ash during a new eruption on Sunday, forcing the closure of the airport of Catania in Sicily. “Due to the eruptive activity of Mount Etna and the abundant amounts of volcanic ash that have fallen on the airport, flight operations are suspended until safe conditions are restored,” the airport said. of Catania in a press release. Heavy clouds around the volcano’s summit impaired visibility, hiding ash discharges into the atmosphere, the Italian Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology (INGV) said.
Loud rumblings had been heard in the area since Sunday morning, the Repubblica daily reported. Cars in the city were covered in a layer of dark, grainy dust, footage released by Italian media showed.
The airport announced on Monday morning that flights would resume at 9 a.m., on a limited basis, with expected delays.
‼️ Aggiornamento Etna Monday 22 Maggio ore 7:00. From slab 9 the scalo tornerà operativo e le operazioni di volo saranno ripristinate, con iniziali limitazioni. Potranno verificarsi ritardi. I peggeri sono pregati di informarsi su stato volo con le airline.
— Aeroporto di Catania (@CTAairport) May 22, 2023
The volcano, which rises to 3,330 m, can come into action in a spectacular way several times a year, throwing lava and ash above the Mediterranean island. But the last major eruption dates back to 1992.
VIDEO. Etna’s lava makes the Italian night glow
Sicily is a very popular tourist destination and last year nearly 10 million pengers ped through Catania International Airport.