Displaying items by tag: tourist evacuation

A volcano on the tiny Italian island of Stromboli, off the coast of Sicily, has erupted for the second time in two months, forcing tourists to flee from this popular tourist spot. On 28 August a ‘high intensity’ explosion erupted, spewing huge clouds of black smoke and ash high into the sky. Streams of lava were seen rolling down the hills into the sea, forcing tourists to flee. Videos posted online show visitors 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. No injuries or damage have 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. Stromboli is a continuously active volcano, but the recent eruptions are much larger than usual.