An eruption of Mount Etna in Sicily on Thursday spewed ash and lava gases high into the sky, forcing nearby Catania airport to cancel all flights to and from Catania.

According to official information, the runway had become unusable due to ash particles that had settled on the airfield.

What the airport said

“Due to the eruptive activity of Mount Etna and the simultaneous emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the runway is unusable due to a significant fallout of volcanic ash on the airfield and therefore both arrivals and departures have been suspended,” airport officials said.

“Flight operations will resume as soon as flight infrastructure conditions are restored.”

The airport also said it was unclear when the airport would be fully operational again.

“Passengers are therefore urged not to go to the airport without first checking the status of their flight with the airline.”

Houses and streets around Catania were covered with dark grey dust.

Flights were also cancelled at the beginning of the month due to a cloud of ash and smoke.

Millions of passengers pass through Catania Airport every year, serving the eastern part of Sicily with tourist attractions such as Syracuse and Taormina.

Almost constant activity for thousands of years

Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, is about 3,350 metres (just over 11,000 feet) high, but its altitude can vary during eruptions.

The volcano is constantly monitored and erupts regularly, attracting numerous spectators during the eruptions.

The Italian Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) has reported increased seismic activity in the region since the beginning of July.

Mount Etna has been almost constantly active for thousands of years. In Greek and Roman mythology, the blacksmith gods Hephaestus and Vulcan had their forges under Mount Etna to produce lightning bolts for Zeus and Jupiter.

rc/dj (dpa, AFP)