Italy’s Etna volcano erupts in eastern Sicily, poses no danger so far
Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, spews lava during an eruption, near the Sicilian town of Catania, southern Italy, early Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. (AP Photo)


Sicily's Mount Etna volcano erupted on Monday evening, a spokesman for the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology (INGV) announced on Tuesday.

The volcano's latest eruptions, which can last days and even weeks, began on Monday evening. The giant orange fountains of lava, spewing toward the sky, could be seen in the city of Catania and the resort town of Taormina.

The ongoing eruption with lava fountains and explosions from the volcano's south-eastern crater has so far posed no threat to humans.Air traffic at the airport in the nearby city of Catania has not been impeded, the spokesman said.Flights to the Group of 7 (G7) summit to be held in Taormina on May 26-27 will be diverted to other airports should Mount Etna spew enough ash to make access difficult, the INGV said.Small eruptions are fairly frequent occurrences at Mount Etna, with the last large eruption happening in 2009, according to the INGV.Mount Etna is one of the world's most active volcanoes, according to the US Geological Survey.