On the nearby island of Stromboli, the Civil Protection Agency issued its highest red alert warning that the situation there could worsen. The volcano there also began erupting earlier this week, sending ash clouds two kilometers high into the sky and spilling lava into the sea. Catania Airport was closed on Friday due to potential risks from atmospheric ash from Mount Etna. One of Europe's most active volcanoes, Etna began erupting on Tuesday sending lava flows into the 3,320-meter-high cone on the Italian island of Sicily. The runway at Catania Airport is unusable due to volcanic ashfall.
"Arrivals and departures are suspended," the airport said in a statement. Flights resumed at around 3 p.m. local time, although some service restrictions remain in effect. In Catania, Mayor Enrico Trantino issued an order on Friday banning two-wheeled vehicles for 48 hours and limiting the speed limit to 30 km/h due to the amount of ash falling on the city prompted the Italian Civil Protection Agency to raise the alert level for the region from green to yellow.