A volcano off the south of Italy erupted with a loud roar in front of gobsmacked tourists, spilling a river of lava into the sea and sending huge plumes of hot ash into the sky.

The volcano on Stromboli island erupted at 12:17pm local time on Wednesday, according to Italian officials monitoring the site. Holidaymakers captured the aftermath and reported a metallic taste in their mouths as they watched the almighty blast.

Planes were captured scooping up water from the sea to use on the burning vegetation set alight by the lava as it spilled down the mountainside. The area surrounding Stromboli had fortunately been closed due to increased activity.

Stromboli, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, had a major eruption earlier this summer, killing a male hiker who was hit by a falling rock. Several people were injured in that blast as panicked tourists jumped into the sea for safety.



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