(ANSA) - Catania, January 5 - Etna erupted for the first time this year and belched out a towering plume of smoke that caused the temporary closure of an airport in its lee on Thursday. The fireworks peaked early Thursday when the Sicilian giant, Europe's tallest active volcano, spewed out fountains of lava into the deserted Valle del Bove area, far from any inhabitants. A plume of black smoke rose 5,000 metres above sea level, prompting authorities to limit air traffic until midday when flights at Catania Airport were allowed to fully resume. Scientists at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology recorded 18 eruptions of Etna in 2011.
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Etna erupts for first time in 2012
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