Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, erupted late last night, sending massive plumes of ash and smoke into the sky, prompting tourists to flee the area. The eruption, which began around 10 PM local time, followed a volcanic tremor that had been building in intensity for several hours. As the eruption unfolded, the southeastern crater collapsed into the bubbling magma, igniting a fierce lava fountain that spewed molten rock, ash, and gases into the atmosphere.
Mount Etna erupts, sending tourists fleeing as ash and smoke billow into the sky
