Etna volcano erupts in Sicily, ending weeks of calm

The Etna volcano, on the Italian island of Sicily, erupted on Tuesday, ending a lull that had lasted about three weeks.

Early Tuesday, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) recorded increasing activity inside the mountain, as an ash cloud rose about 9,000 meters into the air.

Lava flowed from the crater on the southeast side.

The 3,357-meter-high volcano has been spitting lava and ash several times since mid-February. About fifty eruptions have been recorded.

These are often spectacular to watch, but mostly harmless to the surrounding villages and the city of Catania to the south. The airport there could still be approached on Tuesday.