Streets in downtown Catania were covered in black ash, slowing traffic, as residents tried to clean up. Italy's Mount Etna and the smaller Stromboli volcano spewed ash and hot lava, raising alert levels on the Mediterranean island of Sicily and forcing the temporary closure of the airport in Catania, disrupting flights.
Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes, has seen intense activity in recent days, lighting up the sky near Catania, while Stromboli off the coast of northern Sicily spilled lava into the sea. "The runway at Catania Airport is unusable due to volcanic ashfall: arrivals and departures are suspended," the airport management company said in a statement on Friday.
