XINHUA PHOTOS OF THE DAY
(Sicily, Italy) — Mount Etna began erupting Monday in Sicily. It’s largest eruption in years. U.S. tourists Keith and Kristin Neiswender had visited the volcano right before it blew. They witnessed it from around 30 miles away. Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology says the eruption, by Europe’s most active volcano was caused when part of the southeast crater collapsed, resulting in hot lava flows.
The volcanic activity appeared to ease up and it posed no danger to the local population. Tremors from the eruption were widely felt in the towns and villages on Mount Etna’s flanks. It’s the 14th eruptive phase in recent months.
Mount Etna is known to be one of the world’s most active volcanoes. The pyroclastic flow that rockets out of the mountain top can be dangerous to towns nearby, but so far there is no indication that it has been this time around.
