MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. Mount Etna in Sicily has erupted, spewing out lava and sending a massive plume of ash into the sky, on Tuesday, Italy’s ANSA news agency reported.

According to the agency, the eruption from a crater on the south-eastern slope was accompanied by ejection of volcanic ash and lava flows. The heightened volcanic activity was recorded by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology at 16:10 local time (18:10 Moscow time).

Mount Etna, the largest active European volcano is under constant observation of specialists. Usually its activity does not represent any threat to residents.