Pakistan, June 2 -- Italy's Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, erupted dramatically early morning on June 2, sending thick clouds of ash into the sky and tourists running in panic. The eruption began overnight and quickly turned into a powerful display of lava bursts and ash clouds, known as a Strombolian eruption.

The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) confirmed that the eruption was preceded by a series of tremors around 10:00 PM local time on Sunday. The strongest seismic movement occurred nearly three hours later, about 2.8 kilometers below the crater, signaling a major volcanic event.

Videos shared on social media show frightened tourists hurrying down the mountainside as ash and smoke filled the air. By...