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Lava flows from Mount Etna, Europe's largest active volcano, glow above Catania in eastern Sicily on Aug. 13.
Eruptive activity at the Voragine crater has continued for more than a week, feeding lava streams from vents near 2,750 and 1,900 meters and sending ash drifting across the region.
Active vents on Etna's upper slopes feed lava that spreads across the mountainside.
Two main flows originate from openings at roughly 2,750 and 1,900 meters elevation, cutting bright channels through darkened rock as molten material advances down the volcano's flanks.
Ash rises steadily from the Voragine summit crater, one of Etna's four active craters, adding to a plume that has repeatedly drifted toward the south and southwest. The continuous emissions have become a defining feature of the eruption's second week.
After nightfall, the lava flows brighten against the dark slopes, visible for kilometers around the volcano.
The glow has become a nightly draw, pulling visitors toward vantage points across the mountain despite the ongoing eruptive activity.
Growing numbers of tourists and local residents move toward active lava fronts for a closer view, a pattern authorities describe as risky given shifting flows and unstable terrain. The gatherings have intensified as the eruption continues into a second week.
Local authorities have introduced strict road checks along key routes on the mountain, including the Mareneve road, and imposed parking bans to manage the crowds and keep emergency access open near the active flows.
Access to areas near the active lava fronts has been restricted as officials work to limit exposure to volcanic hazards. The measures are part of a broader safety response since the eruption intensified earlier in August.
Persistent ash has forced repeated arrival suspensions at Catania airport, with disruptions authorities describe as the region's most severe in at least two decades.
Hundreds of flights have been canceled or diverted to airports including Palermo and Comiso as the closures continued into a second week.
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