Italy: Mt. Etna erupts again, spews lava, ash

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) - Italy's Mt. Etna, one of the active volcanoes in the country's south, once again erupted on Wednesday, spewing lava and a giant cloud of ash, local media reported.

The 3,326-meter- (10,912-feet-) high volcano on Sicily Island has erupted for the 16th time since Feb. 16.

The lava flow was seen on the slope of the volcano due to the eruption that occurred in the active southeast crater of the mountain.

It was reported that the ashes sprayed by the mountain rose up to 4 to 6 kilometers (around 2-3 miles) and could be easily seen from the satellite, and therefore a red-coded warning was given over the airspace of the city of Catania.

Reports said the runway of the Catania airport was covered with ashes, the flights were suspended during the night, and the runway was later cleaned.

Volcanic earthquakes were also reported around the mountain before and after the volcanic activity in Etna.

* Writing by Busra Nur Cakmak in Ankara.