India, June 2 -- Mount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, erupted dramatically on Sunday, pushing thick plumes of ash high into the air and forcing tourists to flee the area in panic.

Footage that went viral on social media showed visitors scrambling along the mountain paths as a massive ash cloud loomed behind them.

The Mount Etna volcano in the Italian island of Sicily had shown signs of activity earlier in the evening, but things quickly escalated.

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Just after 10 pm, the first tremors were recorded deep beneath the summit, and within hours, the volcano was producing near-continuous explosions.

Experts described the blasts...