Spectacular explosions lit up the early morning sky as Europe's most active volcano, Mount Etna, lept into action.
ROME (AP) — Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, has awed even seasoned volcanologists in recent days with spectacular spurts of lava lighting up the Sicilian sky each night.
The latest eruption overnight petered out by around 0900 GMT Tuesday, according to Italy's National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology.
Keep scrolling for 20 stunning images from Mount Etna's eruption
For over a week, Etna has been belching lava, ash and volcanic rocks on a regular basis. The nearby Catania Airport closed temporarily, and residents of the town of Pedara said it appeared one day last week as if it were raining rocks as a thick blanket of ash covered the town.
Volcanologist Boris Behncke of the national institute's Etna observation center has followed the latest paroxysms with awe. Writing on the institute's website this week, he said that after "gifting us moments of suspense" over the previous nights, Etna finally erupted in a way "those of us who have worked in this for decades have rarely seen."
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Referring to the activity overnight, he tweeted Tuesday: "Did I call the 20-21 February paroxysm of #Etna 'incredibly powerful'? Well, its successor, in the night of 22-23 February, was MUCH more powerful."
So far, there have been no reports of damage or injuries.
Photos: 20 images from the eruption of Mount Etna
Photos: The eruption of Mount Etna in Italy
Lava flows from the Mt Etna volcano, near Catania in Sicily, southern Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 23 , 2021. The explosion started before midnight on Monday night, provoking a huge eruption plume that rose for several kilometers from the top of Etna, as reported by The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etneo Observatory. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Lava gushes from the Mt Etna volcano near Catania, Sicily, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. Europe's most active volcano came alive around 4 pm local time on Tuesday, according to the Italian Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, spews ash and lava, as seen from Catania, southern Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. Mount Etna in Sicily, southern Italy, has roared back into spectacular volcanic action, sending up plumes of ash and spewing lava. (Davide Anastasi/LaPresse via AP)
Lava gushes from the Mt Etna volcano near Catania, Sicily, early Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. Europe's most active volcano came alive around 4 pm local time on Tuesday and it gave again an impressive display of fire, producing another similar and very powerful eruption last night. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Smoke billows from the Mt Etna volcano as seen from Giarre, Sicily, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. Europe's most active volcano remains active scattering ashes around a vastly populated area on its slopes. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Flames and smoke billowing from a crater, as seen from the southern side of the Mt Etna volcano, tower over the city of Pedara, Sicily, Wednesday night, Feb. 24, 2021. Europe's most active volcano has been steadily erupting since last week, belching smoke, ash, and fountains of red-hot lava. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Flames and smoke billowing from a crater, as seen from the eastern side of the Mt Etna volcano, are framed by the remains of a building that collapsed after an October 1984 quake in Fleri, Sicily, Wednesday night, Feb. 24, 2021. Europe's most active volcano has been steadily erupting since last week, belching smoke, ash, and fountains of red-hot lava. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Lava flows from the Mt Etna volcano, near Catania in Sicily, southern Italy, early Tuesday, Feb. 23 , 2021. The explosion started before midnight on Monday night, provoking a huge eruption plume that rose for several kilometers from the top of Etna, as reported by The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etneo Observatory. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
A fiery river of glowing lava flows on the north-east side of the Mt Etna volcano engulfed with ashes and smoke near Milo, Sicily, Wednesday night, Feb. 24, 2021. Europe's most active volcano has been steadily erupting since last week, belching smoke, ash, and fountains of red-hot lava. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Lava spews during an eruption of Mt. Etna volcano, near Catania in Sicily, southern Italy, late Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. The explosion started before midnight on Monday night, provoking a huge eruption plume that rose for several kilometers from the top of Etna, as reported by The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etneo Observatory. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
A fiery river of glowing lava flows on the north-east side of the Mt Etna volcano near Milo, Sicily, Wednesday night, Feb. 24, 2021. Europe's most active volcano has been steadily erupting since last week, belching smoke, ash, and fountains of red-hot lava. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Lava gushes from the Mt Etna volcano near Catania, Sicily, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. Europe's most active volcano came alive around 4 pm local time on Tuesday, according to the Italian Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Lava gushes from the Mt Etna volcano near Catania, Sicily, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. Europe's most active volcano came alive around 4 pm local time on Tuesday, according to the Italian Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
The area outside the church of St. Joseph in Pisano Etneo, Sicily, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, is layered with volcanic ashes spewed by the Mt. Etna volcano. Europe's most active volcano remains active scattering ashes around a vastly populated area on its slopes. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Smoke billows from the Mt Etna volcano as seen from Riposto, Sicily, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. Europe's most active volcano remains active scattering ashes around a vastly populated area on its slopes. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Smoke fills the sky as Mt. Etna volcano erupts, near Catania in Sicily, southern Italy, late Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. This is the fifth episode in a series of Mt. Etna eruptions which have been occurring over the past week. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Smoke fills the sky during an eruption of Mt. Etna volcano, near Catania in Sicily, southern Italy, early Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021. The explosion started before midnight on Monday night, provoking a huge eruption plume that rose for several kilometers from the top of Etna, as reported by The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etneo Observatory. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Smoke fills the sky during an eruption of Mt. Etna volcano, near Catania in Sicily, southern Italy, late Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. This is the fifth episode in a series of Mt. Etna eruptions which have been occurring over the past week. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Lava flows from the Mt Etna volcano, near Catania in Sicily, southern Italy, early Tuesday, Feb. 23 , 2021. The explosion started before midnight on Monday night, provoking a huge eruption plume that rose for several kilometers from the top of Etna, as reported by The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Etneo Observatory. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
Workers use air pumps to clean volcanic ashes from the footpath in Fleri, Sicily, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. Europe's most active volcano remains active scattering ashes around a vastly populated area on its slopes. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)
