Red alert: Mount Etna has been erupting for a week and its ash cloud has already reached Malta and Libya

Mount Etna, Europe's highest active volcano, has completed a week of continuous eruption following the onset of its new eruptive phase on August 7. The ongoing activity has placed eastern Sicily under sustained pressure due to extensive ash emissions, with the resulting ash cloud extending as far south as Malta and Libya.

As a direct consequence of the volcanic activity, authorities prolonged the total suspension of flights at the Vincenzo Bellini airport in Catania until at least Thursday afternoon at 16:00 local time. The disruption marks the seventh consecutive day of flight operations being affected at the Sicilian transport hub.