On the morning of June 2, Mount Etna, a volcano situated on the Italian island of Sicily, erupted, spewing a plume of ash and lava. Local authorities immediately responded to the eruption, issuing a red alert to pilots and suspending flying in the area. However, the alert was downgraded to orange three hours later.
There were no immediate reports regarding any risk posed by the volcano to the local population, who are quite used to Etna’s eruptions. However, several tourists were seen fleeing from their resorts, as it appears they’d learned about the news quite late.
Indeed, volcanoes like Etna are truly some of nature’s most formidable forces. While some of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes pose serious threats, Etna continues to captivate scientists and travelers alike. Even though this European marvel may not be the most dangerous in the world, it's still had its fair share of destructive eruptions. Click through the following gallery to learn all about them.