Several months after its last eruption, Mount Etna in eastern Sicily has started spewing chunks of flaming lava from its crater.

Photographs of the spectacle on Saturday showed streams of red magma spilling down the volcano's slopes and plumes of ash extending skywards.

Read more: If you live near one of these volcanos, move!

Streams of lava run down the slopes of Mount Etna after an eruption early Saturday

An increase in volcanic activity was detected at the peak in July, but according to Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the eruption began in earnest on Thursday.

Since then, the INGV said, Etna has been shooting lava continuously as high as 150 meters (500 feet).

Read more: Nature's tenacity after volcano eruptions

This photo from an INGV surveillance camera shows plumes of smoke and ash filling the sky

Ash plumes could also be seen spreading several hundred meters above the crater.

No evacuation orders have been issued for towns on the volcano's slopes, and flights into the nearby airport at Catania are continuing uninterrupted.

Read more: What it's like living near Hawaii's Kilauea volcano

Spectacular light show: The latest eruption began late Thursday

Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, formed some 500,000 years ago off the ancient coastline of Sicily. It usually experiences small eruptions every few months.

It is popular with hikers, and its slopes are also home to local farms hoping to reap the benefits of the fertile volcanic soil. In 2013, Etna was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Fire and ashes: Most troublesome volcanos of our time Remember Eyjafjallajökull? The Icelandic volcano with a famously unpronounceable name erupted in 2010, throwing up a massive cloud of ash into the air and disrupting air traffic all across Europe and North Atlantic. A total of 100,000 flights were canceled within one week.

Fire and ashes: Most troublesome volcanos of our time Mount Etna: Europe's biggest volcano The snow-covered volcano in Sicily, Mount Etna, is both Europe's largest and its most active volcano. It has been continuously erupting for centuries with more or less intensity. At least 10 people were injured when Etna suddenly launched volcanic rocks and steam in 2017.

Fire and ashes: Most troublesome volcanos of our time Trouble in Bali paradise Indonesia's Mount Agung erupted in November 2017 and again in June 2018. Both eruptions prompted authorities to close down the airport in the tourist resort, effectively stranding thousands of visitors.

Fire and ashes: Most troublesome volcanos of our time Panic and death in Guatemala The sudden eruption of Guatemala's Volcan de Fuego in June 2018 left hundreds dead or missing. The volcano also launched ash nearly six kilometers (four miles) into the sky, blanketing nearby villages.

Fire and ashes: Most troublesome volcanos of our time Kilauea - the rage of Pele Hawaii's ancient religion names the goddess Pele as the ruler of volcanoes and fire. One of the volcanoes under her command is Kilauea on Hawaii's Big Island, which has been erupting since 1983. The eruptions escalated in 2018, with walls of moving lava swallowing streets and destroying hundreds of homes. Author: Darko Janjevic



nm/aw (AP, dpa)

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