Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano, located in Sicily, erupted early Monday morning, with people running for their lives because of dense volcanic ash clouds, as per a report. Here are the important details, as per Yahoo News:

1. Sudden Early Morning Eruption

The eruption started early in the morning on Monday, with Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) notifying about the volcanic activity in a statement issued at 4.14 am local time that has "carried on with Strombolian explosions of growing intensity that, at the moment, are of strong intensity and nearly continuous," according to Yahoo News.

2. Individuals Witnessed Evacuating the Region

Video posted on various social media platforms showed scenes of people fleeing to safety after Europe's highest active volcano started erupting, as per the report.

3. Ash Cloud Towers Above Sicily

A huge cloud of volcanic ash rose into the atmosphere, INGV said, "Over the past few hours, the falling of a little thin ash has been flagged in the," as per Yahoo News. According to INGV's forecast model, the expected erupting ash cloud is to scatter in a south-west direction, reported Yahoo News.

4. Strombolian Explosions Increase

The eruption was accompanied by repeated and more vigorous Strombolian explosions — volcanic activity that involves repeated bursts of lava, ash, and gas, as per the report.

5. Ash Falls on Popular Tourist Spots

Light ash falls were reported over the northern Piano Vetore region, an area frequently visited by tourists trekking or sightseeing close to the sides of Etna, according to Yahoo News.

6. Thermal Images Show Hazardous Flows

Thermal images released by the INGV displayed "hot pyroclastic material" — hot flows of rock, ash, and gas — descending the volcano's slopes, reported Yahoo News.

7. High Volcanic Tremors Detected

INGV had warned that the "values of the magnitude of the tremor are currently elevated with a tendency to increase further," reported Yahoo News.

8. Did Not Cross Valley of the Lion Monitored

As per a statement isuued at 11.55am local time, the INGV mentioned that the volcanic flow did "not appear to have crossed the edge" of the Valley of the Lion, surrounding the volcano, reported Yahoo News.

9. Aviation Alert Issued

Because of the expanding ash cloud, aviation authorities were put on notice, with possible disruption of air travel in the area anticipated.

10. Volcano Remains Unpredictable

While the authorities keep the situation under strict observation, the high tremor levels and ongoing explosions indicate that Etna's eruption remains hazardous and unstable.

FAQs

What exactly happened at Mount Etna?
Mount Etna erupted early Monday morning, shooting ash into the sky and triggering panic among people nearby.

Were people in danger?
Yes, videos showed tourists and locals running for their lives as the volcano erupted.