Mount Etna Spews Lava In Biggest Eruption Since 2014; Viral Video Shows Tourists Rushing Downhill

<p>Mount Etna, one of the world&rsquo;s most active volcanoes, erupted violently on Monday, prompting the evacuation of tourists and disrupting flight schedules in parts of Italy. According to Italian authorities, the eruption produced a towering plume of high-temperature gases, ash, and rock that rose several kilometres into the sky above the Sicilian volcano.</p>
<p>Dramatic footage, shared widely on social media, showed long lines of tourists hurrying downhill from the volcano. CNN reported that the owner of a tour company told the outlet that there were 40 people on the mountain at the time of the eruption.</p>
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”>
<p dir=”ltr” lang=”fr”>Italie 🇮🇹 – Etna<br /><br />🔸Non… Il y a des gens l&agrave;-haut quelle catastrophe… 😓<br /><br />J’essaie d’avoir des nouvelles concernant de potentielles victimes… C’est terrifiant, vraiment…<br /><br />Via <a href=”https://twitter.com/GRX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@GRX</a> <a href=”https://t.co/JFkqACqsBh”>pic.twitter.com/JFkqACqsBh</a></p>
&mdash; 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 (@GeoTales_) <a href=”https://twitter.com/GeoTales_/status/1929483374478995574?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>June 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<p>The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) Observatory stated that although Mount Etna frequently erupts, an event of this magnitude had not occurred since 2014. Explosions reportedly continued to intensify, with a minor outflow of lava and fire being observed.</p>
<p>According to CNN, witnesses in Taormina and Catania&mdash;approximately 50 and 40 kilometres away respectively&mdash;reported hearing loud explosions overnight, and several posted videos of the event on social media.</p>
<p>Preliminary assessments by the observatory indicated a &ldquo;partial collapse&rdquo; of the northern flank of the volcano&rsquo;s southeast crater, an area that has produced spectacular lava flows in recent months. A Volcanic Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) was issued by the Sicilian Civil Protection agency, advising aircraft to avoid the area. While airports in Catania and Palermo remain open, some flights from Catania have been diverted to Palermo due to the eruption, as per data from FlightRadar.</p>
<p>An observatory spokesperson told CNN that at around 1 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET), the volcano began spewing hot lava, aligning more closely with typical past eruptions. The event has been classified as a pyroclastic eruption, characterised by a &ldquo;significant increase in volcanic tremor and the formation of an eruptive column containing a lethal mixture of high-temperature gases, lava grains, volcanic ash, and rock fragments of various sizes that rapidly descends down the slopes of the volcano.&rdquo;</p>
<p>According to the BBC, images and videos showed volcanic material spilling from the crater on Monday morning, with a number of &ldquo;increasing intensity&rdquo; explosions recorded earlier that day. Ground movements suggest the eruption occurred on the volcano&rsquo;s southeastern edge, where a well-known 200-metre-wide vent is located.</p>
<p>INGV confirmed that footage shared throughout the day showed a pyroclastic flow&mdash;a dangerous mix of ash, gas, and rock&mdash;moving swiftly down the volcano&rsquo;s slopes. Geologists believe this flow was triggered by the collapse of part of the volcano&rsquo;s crater.</p>
<h3><strong>No Immediate Danger Beyond Restricted Zone</strong></h3>
<p>Despite the eruption’s dramatic scale, there is currently no indication of an immediate threat to surrounding areas. The INGV stated that the volcanic material has not surpassed the Valley of the Lion, the point beyond which tourist access is typically restricted.</p>
<p>The institute first recorded signs of increased activity at 12:39 a.m. local time (22:39 GMT), later identifying the event as an ongoing &ldquo;Strombolian eruption.&rdquo; These eruptions, characterised by intermittent bursts caused by gas bubbles in the magma, can be hazardous to aviation, BBC reported.</p>
<p>A red alert was briefly issued on Monday, possibly leading to the suspension of nearby flight operations, though it was later downgraded. Mount Etna&rsquo;s last significant eruption occurred in February, when ash clouds forced the diversion of several flights from Catania airport and prompted tourist warnings.</p>