Stromboli eruption: Tourists flee ‘high intensity’ explosion on Italian island as volcano spews ash and lava

Stromboli eruption: Tourists flee ‘high intensity’ explosion on Italian island as volcano spews ash and lava(Source The Independent)

A volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli has erupted for the second time in two months, sending streams of ash and lava into the sky and sea and forcing tourists to flee.

Stromboli, a tiny island off the north coast of Sicily, is a popular spot for visitors to the area who come to enjoy the beaches.

But on Wednesday a “high intensity” explosion was recorded by Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology as the volcano erupted, spewing huge clouds of black smoke and ash high into the sky. Streams of lava also were seen rolling down the hills into the sea, forcing tourists to flee.

Videos posted online show visitors who were close to the shore in small boats desperately racing out to sea to avoid clouds of hot ash, which tore down the slopes of the volcano and into the waters surrounding the island.

No injuries or damage has so far been reported, although the lava flows did start several small fires, forcing the authorities to send helicopters to dump water on the conflagrations.

The eruption is the second major activity at Stromboli in recent months. In July, a similar sudden explosion killed a tourist who was hiking towards the volcano’s summit, and injured others.

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