A lava fountain surged out of Mount Etna in Sicily on Thursday, sending a glowing burst of orange out of a crater and down its flank. Dark ash from the eruption fell on towns at the foot of the volcano, and residents were seen in video footage sweeping a thick layer of dust off streets and sidewalks. Earlier this week, activity also intensified at Stromboli, a volcano nearby in the Aeolian Islands, with huge clouds of ash and debris falling into the sea. Salvatore Cocina, head of Sicily’s civil protection department, said that the authorities were evaluating the possibility that large amounts of lava falling into the sea from the Stromboli volcano could cause a tsunami.

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Persons: Salvatore Cocina Locations: Mount Etna, Sicily, Stromboli, Aeolian