The Etna volcano erupted, ash fell on Catania, and the local airport was forced to suspend flights

ROME — Europe’s most active volcano, Mount Etna, erupted on Sunday, spewing ash at Catania, the largest city in eastern Sicily, and forcing the city’s airport to suspend flights.

Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, or INGV, which closely monitors Etna with instruments on the slope, noted that on a rainy day, cloud cover obstructed views of the eruption, which often provides a spectacular display of flaming lava when the volcano is not descending. rare eruptions.

According to the institute, ash fell on Catania and at least one city on the inhabited slopes of Mount Etna. No injuries were reported.

According to the Catania airport, the flight was temporarily suspended due to the ash fall.

INGV indicated that the monitoring recorded evidence of increased tremor activity in recent days.

The Italian news agency ANSA reported that loud explosions were heard from the volcano in the towns of Adrano and Biancavilla on Sunday.

Italy’s national civil protection agency warned on Thursday that “sudden” changes in Etna’s activity may occur due to increased volcanic activity.

At the beginning of 2021, the eruption of the volcano lasted for several weeks.