Incredible photos show the dramatic eruption of Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano

A detail of the new eruption of the Etna volcano seen from the port of Riposto in the province of Catania, Italy, on February 18, 2021.

Fabrizio Villa/Getty Images

• Mount Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes, erupted on Tuesday.
• Italian officials said there was no danger to the surrounding villages but closed a nearby airport. 
• Scroll down to see amazing images of the volcano, which spewed smoke, ashes, and glowing lava.
• Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.

Sicily's Mount Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes, spewed smoke, ashes, and lava in a new eruption earlier this week.

Although the explosion looked dramatic, Italian authorities said it posed no danger to any of the surrounding villages, and residents did not seem concerned. 

Scroll down to see spectacular images of the eruption.

Mount Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes, erupted earlier this week. A close-up of Mount Etna erupting in Catania, Italy, on February 18, 2021.

Marco Restivo/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

At nearly 11,000 feet (3,324 meters), Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe. It is located on the east coast of Sicily, Italy.

Source: Britannica

 

The volcano first erupted on Tuesday, sending rose-colored plumes of ash into the sky... A view of the Mount Etna eruption spewing ash, as seen from Paterno, Italy, on February 16, 2021.

Luigi Senna/Reuters

...and showering nearby villages with small stones and grey ash. Mount Etna leaves ash on a car in Catania, Italy, on February 16, 2021

Marco Restivo/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

By night time, the clouds had disappeared, but glowing lava continued to stream out of the crater. A detail of the new eruption of the Etna volcano seen from the port of Riposto in the province of Catania, Italy, on February 18, 2021.

Fabrizio Villa/Getty Images

Here is a closer look at the glowing river of lava running down the volcano throughout the night. Streams of red hot lava flow as Mount Etna leaps into action, seen from Giarre, Italy on February 16, 2021.

Antonio Parrinello/Reuters

Hot lava continued to shoot out of the volcano's crater. Mount Etna erupts in Sicily, sending plumes of ash and spewing lava into the air on February 18, 2021.

Marco Restivo/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

Although pictures of the event look dramatic, Italian officials told local media: "We've seen worse." Mount Etna erupts above Catania, Italy, on February 18, 2021.

Marco Restivo/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

Mount Etna has erupted frequently in the past 500,000 years.

Source: Euronews

Officials also said the eruption poses no danger to surrounding villages. However, they still closed Catania's international airport as a precaution. The new eruption of the Etna volcano seen from the port of Riposto in the province of Catania on February 18, 2021.

Fabrizio Villa/Getty Images

Source: The Telegraph 

Most Sicilians said they were not worried and that they're used to the volcano erupting. A passer-by with an umbrella in the streets of Catania, Italy protects himself from the volcanic ash from Mount Etna on February 16, 2021.

Fabrizio Villa/Getty Images

Source: The Independent

Daniele Palumbo, who is originally from Sicily but is now living in London, said it's "always really funny" to see how outsiders react when Etna erupts. A woman walks her dog in the aftermath of an impressive Mount Etna volcanic eruption in Catania, Italy, on February 17, 2021.

Antonio Parrinello/Reuters

"I think we would be more worried if all these events didn't happen," Palumbo said, according to the Independent.

Source: The Independent

The volcano has since calmed down, only leaving behind ash for city workers to clean up. Workers clean a square in the aftermath of an impressive Mount Etna volcanic eruption in Catania, Italy, on February 17, 2021.

Antonio Parrinello/Reuters

Source: Volcano Discovery

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