Heavy cloud around the summit of the volcano made it impossible to see the eruptions, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said. Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, spewed smoke and ash in a new eruption on Sunday, forcing the closure of a nearby airport in Sicily, Italy.
“Due to the eruptive activity of Etna and the large amount of volcanic ash at the airports, flight operations are suspended until safety conditions are restored,” Catania Airport said in a statement.
Loud rumblings were heard in the region from the early hours of the morning.
But heavy cloud around the volcano’s summit made it impossible to see the eruptions, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said.
At 3,324 meters (nearly 11,000 feet), Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe and has erupted frequently over the past 500,000 years.
Last year, approximately 10 million passengers passed through Catania International Airport, which serves the eastern part of Sicily, one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations.
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