PEAK FURY

Tourists Flee Terrifying Etna Volcano Eruption

The volcano, on the Mediterranean island of Sicily, started rumbling late Sunday before spewing ash and lava Monday.

A terrifying video shows the moment Italy’s Mount Etna began to erupt Monday, sending tourists fleeing in horror. The eruption occurred on the Mediterranean island of Sicily, where the volcano suddenly began spewing lava and ash, triggering a high-speed pyroclastic flow that tore down the mountainside. In footage shared by INGV Vulcani, Italy’s national volcano monitoring agency, a torrent of debris and smoke careens down the slope. In a statement posted to social media, the agency confirmed that “explosive activity from the Southeast Crater has become a lava fountain,” signaling a significant escalation in volcanic activity. Another stomach-churning clip circulating online shows dozens of tourists running in panic as thick plumes of ash rise violently into the air. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported. Mount Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, erupted twice last year—in July and August—and began spewing smoke and lava again in February, prompting travel advisories. Minor lava flows were also observed twice earlier this month, fueling concerns of increased volcanic unrest.