“Explosive event above normal”

Catania Airport on the Italian island of Sicily reopened last Friday after a brief closure for the eruption of Etna,Europe’s largest active volcano spewed ash over the airfield and surrounding areas. The track was cleaned , which was covered by ash, allowing flights to resume. For the time being, entries are limited to two flights per hour, the company that manages the airport has indicated on the social network X.

At 3,324 metres, Etna is Europe’s tallest active volcano and has erupted repeatedly in recent years. In recent days, clouds of lava and ash have spewed from its central crater.

Pictures posted on social media on Friday showed streets in central Catania covered in thick layers of ash. Nearly 10 million passengers passed through Catania’s international airport in eastern Sicily last year.

Italian authorities have also issued a red alert for another volcano, Stromboli. which dominates the homonymous island of the Aeolian archipelago, north of Sicily, and whose eruption has produced large clouds of ash. Authorities say both volcanoes are “in full activity”, warning all residents with this alarm message: “Ash cloud (visible from Catania) 4.5 kilometers high. “Explosive phenomenon above normal.”