A volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli has erupted for the second time in two months, sending streams of ash and lava into the sky and sea and forcing tourists to flee.

Stromboli, a tiny island off the north coast of Sicily, is a popular spot for visitors to the area who come to enjoy the beaches.

But on Wednesday a “high intensity” explosion was recorded by Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology as the volcano erupted, spewing huge clouds of black smoke and ash high into the sky.

Streams of lava also were seen rolling down the hills into the sea, forcing tourists to flee.

Videos posted online show visitors who were close to the shore in small boats desperately racing out to sea to avoid clouds of hot ash, which tore down the slopes of the volcano and into the waters surrounding the island.

Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Show all 22 1 /22 Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Ash rises into the sky after a volcano eruption on the island of Stromboli, Italy EPA/Mario Calabresi Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Smoke billows and flammes propaqate accross the hillside after the Stromboli volcano erupted on July 3, 2019 on the Stromboli island, north of Sicily. - A volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli erupted dramatically on July 3, killing a hiker and sending tourists fleeing into the sea. (Photo by Giovanni ISOLINO / AFP)GIOVANNI ISOLINO/AFP/Getty Images GIOVANNI ISOLINO AFP/Getty Images Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Smoke billows from the volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli Fiona Carter/AFP/Getty Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures epa07693745 A handout photo made available by Polizia di Stato, the Italian national police forces, shows an aerial view taken from a police helicopter of ash rising into the sky after a volcanic eruption during early morning on the small island of Stromboli, Italy, 04 July 2019. According to reports, the island of Stromboli was hit on 03 July 2019 by a set of violent volcanic eruptions that triggered panic among residents and tourists. Two new lava spouts are reported to creep down the volcano. EPA/POLIZIA DI STATO HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES POLIZIA DI STATO HANDOUT Polizia di Stato/EPA Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Civil protection authorities said a hiker was confirmed killed by the eruptions Wednesday EPA Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Smoke billows and flammes propaqate accross the hillside neqr houses after the Stromboli volcano erupted on July 3, 2019 on the Stromboli island, north of Sicily. - A volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli erupted dramatically on July 3, killing a hiker and sending tourists fleeing into the sea. (Photo by Giovanni ISOLINO / AFP)GIOVANNI ISOLINO/AFP/Getty Images GIOVANNI ISOLINO AFP/Getty Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Smoke billows from the volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli ANSA/AP Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures A Canadair plane drops water after the Stromboli volcano eruption started forest fires, in Stromboli, Italy July 4, 2019. REUTERS/Alessio Villari NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES STRINGER Reuters Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Smoke billows from the volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli EPA Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures epa07693743 A handout photo made available by Polizia di Stato, the Italian national police forces, shows an aerial view taken from a police helicopter of ash rising into the sky after a volcanic eruption during early morning on the small island of Stromboli, Italy, 04 July 2019. According to reports, the island of Stromboli was hit on 03 July 2019 by a set of violent volcanic eruptions that triggered panic among residents and tourists. Two new lava spouts are reported to creep down the volcano. EPA/POLIZIA DI STATO HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES POLIZIA DI STATO HANDOUT Polizia di Stato/EPA Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Ash is thrown high into the sky in the eruption on the island of Stromboli, Italy ANSA/EPA Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Firefighters sweep ashes covering the port town of Ginostra AFP/Getty Images Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Ash is thrown high into the sky in the eruption on the island of Stromboli, Italy ANSA/EPA Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Firefighters extinguish e remaining fire in the port town of Ginostra on July 4, 2019 a day after the Stromboli volcano erupted, on the Stromboli island, north of Sicily. - A volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli erupted dramatically on July 3, killing a hiker and sending tourists fleeing into the sea. (Photo by Giovanni ISOLINO / AFP)GIOVANNI ISOLINO/AFP/Getty Images GIOVANNI ISOLINO AFP/Getty Images Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures The news agency ANSA says that some 30 tourists jumped into the sea out of fear after a series of volcano erupted on the Sicilian island of Stromboli Saia Carmelo/PA Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures A plume of ash is seen in the distance as a volcano erupts on the island of Stromboli, Italy Robert Smith/PA Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures A cloud of ash is seen following an eruption on the island of Stromboli, Italy EPA/Mario Calabresi Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures A cloud of ash is seen following an eruption on the island of Stromboli, Italy EPA/Mario Calabresi Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Smoke billows from the volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli Demi Cerveau/PA Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures Smoke billows from the volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli EPA/Mario Calabresi Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures A cloud of ash is seen following an eruption on the island of Stromboli, Italy ANSA/AP Volcano erupts on Stromboli: In pictures A cloud of ash is seen following an eruption on the island of Stromboli, Italy Gernot Werner Gruber/Reuters

No injuries or damage has so far been reported, although the lava flows did start several small fires, forcing the authorities to send helicopters to dump water on the conflagrations.

The eruption is the second major activity at Stromboli in recent months. In July, a similar sudden explosion killed a tourist who was hiking towards the volcano's summit, and injured others.

Other people, who had been sunbathing on Stromboli’s beaches, jumped into the sea to escape the eruption and residents in the village of Ginsotra had to barricade themselves in their homes for safety.

Stromboli is a continuously active volcano and is constantly rumbling and sending out smaller streams of lava, but the recent eruptions are much larger than usual.

Nicole Bremner, a Londoner who was visiting the island during the latest eruption, said she watched the scene unfold from her boat.

“We had just dropped the anchor and were about to go swimming when my partner noticed a larger plume of smoke than usual.

A huge cloud of ash was visible for miles around Stromboli after the eruption (PA)

"I started filming and then we heard the large blast and I filmed the plume. We then headed back over to see if we could help with any evacuation.”

Another tourist, Elena Schiera from Sicily, told CNN her family only narrowly escaped disaster.

“We were sailing at a safe distance as per ordinance, when all of a sudden we heard a loud bang and saw a large black cloud spewing out of the Stromboli crater and pouring into the sea,” she said.

“We immediately increased the speed of the boat to the maximum, even though, being a sailboat, the speed was still limited.

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

"Then the cloud arrived at sea and began to advance quickly towards us.

“At that moment the panic broke out because we had the cloud a few metres away from our stern, but thanks to my father who was at the helm we managed to get away just in time because then the cloud started to rise again.”

The mayor of Lipari, the most populated of the chain of islands Stromboli sits in, said the authorities were handling the situation.