Italy’s Mount Etna erupted on 12 November – spewing lava and clouds of ash high over the Mediterranean island of Sicily.
- Standing at approximately 3329 m high, Mount Etna is an almost constant state of activity.
- Ash and cloud created because of frequent eruptions pose a threat to the nearby city of Catania, situated on Sicily’s coast.
- Mount Etna is Europe’s most active volcano and one of the largest in the world. Its recorded volcanic activity dates back to 1500 B.C. Since then, it has erupted more than 200 times.
- Some of the most active volcanoes are located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, which includes New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Japan and the western coast of the Americas.
- About 90% of all earthquakes worldwide strike within this region.
