24-Dec-2018: Mount Etna erupts in Sicily amid dozens of tremors

Europe's most active volcano, Mount Etna in Sicily, erupted with more than 130 earthquakes of up to 4.3 in magnitude. The Mount Etna observatory said lava had spewed from a new fracture near its south-eastern crater.

A local volcanologist said it was Etna's "first flank eruption" in more than a decade. Volcanic ash covered nearby villages, while planes into Catania airport had to be halted temporarily.

A large explosion was felt close to Etna during the morning. A video filmed 2,500m (8,200 ft) up the 3,350m volcano showed the fast spread of ash. People on the mountainside were told to escape quickly.

The biggest tremor of magnitude 4 was on the north-east side of Etna near Piano Pernicana, while another of similar magnitude was felt on the northern flank. That was followed by intense eruptions from the volcano's new south-east crater. The volcano had grown faster than ever before in recent years.

In March a UK-led team said that the whole structure of Europe's premier volcano was edging towards the sea at a rate of 14mm per year.