Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, erupts seven times in two weeks
Europe’s most active volcano, Mount Etna, has erupted seven times in the past two weeks, with some eruptions blowing blankets of black ash over nearby areas.
The volcano erupted on February 16th and has had bursts of activity ever since.
A recent eruption from the volcano, which is located in Italy, spewed ash over the Sicilian town of Zafferana Etnea. Now, locals are working to blow the soot away.
Marco is a resident of Zafferana Etnea and said that soot can make it dangerous for local residents.
“This morning at 9:30 the ash started falling and I’ve been here since, working to get rid of it,” he said.
“Unfortunately, as you can see, we are making piles of ash on the side of the road because we don’t have enough bags to get rid of it,” Marco added, showing bags full of black ash.
“We hope that the municipality can remove it promptly because it’s dangerous on the road,” he added.
There have been no reported injuries or deaths due to the volcanic eruptions so far. But clearing up the ash remains a challenge.
Residents often have had to run for cover as rocks are hurled into the air, only to crash back down on anything in the way.