Mount Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, began spewing smoke and ash on Sunday, which led to the closure of the airport in Catania, in southern Italy, Agerpres writes.

“Due to the large amount of volcanic ash that has reached the airport, air operations are suspended until safety conditions are restored,” the airport said.

According to the newspaper La Repubblica, loud explosions were heard in the region this morning.

According to the Italian Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, visibility around the crater was impaired by thick clouds that obscured the ash eruption.

Etna (3,324 meters) is the highest active volcano in Europe, which has frequently erupted over the past 500,000 years, AFP notes.

Last year, around 10 million passengers passed through Catania International Airport in eastern Sicily, one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations.