Eruption Of Mount Etna In Italy Increases, 42 Flights And 15 Thousand Passengers Affected

Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy. (BuonoDeltaTesoro-Pixabay)

JAKARTA - The eruption activity of Mount Etna in Italy has increased significantly in the last 24 hours resulting in disruption of flight schedules at Catania Airport.

Citing Metro.co.uk, Thursday, July 11, the increasing eruption of mountains in Sicily caused 42 flights to be canceled or postponed.

The decision affected about 15 thousand passengers of a number of airlines.

Ryanair airlines have canceled 42 flights on the route from Catania Airport to Rome, Venice, Pisa and Bergamo.

Followed by easyJet airlines temporarily suspending operations from Catania Airport to London, Milano and Napoli.

Meanwhile, a number of plane arrivals to Catania Airport had to be diverted to Palermo, which was four hours away from driving.

Despite being affected by the eruption of Mount Etna, Catania Airport remains open. The main international gate in Sicily has yet to issue a statement.

Previously, Istituto Nazionale in Geophysica e Econologia (INGV) or the Mount Etna Observatory had issued a red warning on the activities of Mount Etna. The red warning means the situation could worsen.

INGV said there was a gradual increase in Strombolian activity in the Voragine crater, Mount Etna since 20.00 on Wednesday, July 10 local time.

Mount Etna is indeed an eruption. The Italian Civil Protection Department informed that the increasing activity of the mountain was not the only time this has happened. Mount Etna has erupted many times in recent decades.

The status of one of the most active volcanoes in Europe increased after an eruption and melting hot lava on Friday, July 5. Black smoke soared high when the eruption of Mount Etna occurred.