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By Shane Croucher
Senior Editor
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Italian authorities said a sudden and powerful eruption at Mount Etna on Monday forced tourists to flee the volcano as clouds of ash, gas, and volcanic rock exploded into the sky. Footage from the scene showed guides rushing dozens of visitors downhill from the blast as a pyroclastic column "several kilometers high" rose from the southeastern crater.
The eruption began overnight and intensified around midday, producing what officials called a "significant increase in volcanic tremor" and a dangerous mix of superheated gas, ash, and debris surging down the slopes. The Sicilian Civil Protection Agency confirmed that all tourists on the mountain were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported.
The Etna Observatory of Italy's national seismological agency said there was a "pyroclastic flow, likely caused by a collapse of material on the northern flank of the Southeast Crater" of the volcano.
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"Based on preliminary observations, the hot material does not appear to have passed beyond the edge of the Valle del Leone," the agency said in a release. "At the same time, explosive activity from the Southeast Crater has transitioned into a lava fountain."
It also said volcanic tremor "has reached very high levels" but deformation—the change in its shape and structure—was in line with what was expected with the activity, and data signals "do not show significant changes".
Videos posted to social media show tourists clambering away from the cloud—known as a Strombolian eruption—as it bursts out from the surface.
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The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said preliminary data point to a partial collapse of the volcano's southeastern crater wall, triggering the eruption. While Mt. Etna is among the world's most active volcanoes, officials said this was its most intense activity since 2014. Lava flows began around 1 p.m. local time and remained confined to the summit area.
Airports in Catania and Palermo remained open as the ash plume blew away from population centers. Still, roads leading up the volcano were closed to prevent interference with emergency responders. "With knowledge, preparation and humility, it's possible to explore this landscape safely," said local guide Alessio Zocco, who described the moment as "dramatic but short-lived."
When Was Mount Etna's Last Eruption?
Mount Etna is one of the world's most active volcanoes. It's the most active volcano in Europe.
Its activity increased during 2025, including spectacular eruptions in February, April, and May this year, producing lava flows and ash clouds.
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Live Feeds of June 2 Mount Etna Eruption
Now, it has erupted again. A live feed of the volcano captured the eruption on June 2. You can watch the feed below:
There's a live feed from a different angle here:
What Is a Strombolian Eruption?
According to the National Parks Service, Strombolian eruptions are "moderately explosive eruptions of basaltic magma with moderate gas content."
"Strombolian eruptions consist of intermittent, discrete explosive bursts which eject pyroclasts as high as hundreds of feet into the air in firework-like incandescent rooster-tails," the service says.
"The discrete blasts in this eruption style are caused by vesiculation of the lava at the vent. A sustained eruptive column is not developed."
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What Is the Largest Active Volcano in the World?
Hawaii's Mauna Loa—capping off at 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) above sea level—is the world's largest active volcano.
"Its submarine flanks descend to the sea floor an additional 5 kilometers (3 miles), and the sea floor in turn is depressed by Mauna Loa's great mass another 8 kilometers (5 miles)," says the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
"This makes the volcano's summit about 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) above its base!"
Mauna Loa erupted in November 2022, an event that lasted for around 12 days.
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