An eruption from the nearby Mount Etna led to the suspension of flights to the eastern Sicilian city of Catania, as reported by local officials. This occurrence has introduced new travel difficulties to the already-troubled Italian airport.
Overnight on Sunday, the towering volcano with a height of 3,330 meters, Mount Etna, erupted, expelling lava and ash high into the skies above the Mediterranean island. Although the lava flow subsided before dawn, one of the craters continued to emit ash.
The airport operator officially announced the suspension of flights to and from Catania, a popular tourist destination, until 6 am on Tuesday. This decision disappointed hopes for a potential resumption on Monday night and led to passengers receiving advice to confirm their flight status with airlines prior to heading to the airport on Tuesday.
On Monday, incoming flights were rerouted to other airports within Sicily. This disruption arrives at the peak of Italy’s summer holiday season, coinciding with a public holiday on Tuesday.
48-hour ban on Motorcycle and Bicycle
In response to the ash-covered streets, Catania’s mayor, c, issued a 48-hour ban on motorcycle and bicycle usage in the city. He also mandated that cars should not exceed a speed of 30 kph (19 mph). The volcanic ash can swiftly turn roads slippery, elevating the risk of accidents.
These most recent flight cancellations at Catania airport, which registers more arrivals compared to the island’s capital, Palermo, transpired merely a month after a terminal building fire led to weeks of passenger disruptions.
The eruption’s early signs emerged when Etna began emitting gas rings, an exceedingly uncommon occurrence. Gas bubbles propel through a narrow vent within the volcano, leading to the occurrence of this phenomenon. This action generates a rotational motion along the edges of the gas puff, ultimately shaping it into a ring. The resulting rings ascend hundreds of meters into the atmosphere.
Etna boasts the distinction of being Europe‘s highest active volcano, frequently erupting over the past half-million years. The most recent significant eruption occurred in 1992.
