An estimated 30 tourists jumped into the sea out of fear after a series of volcanic eruptions.
An estimated 30 tourists jumped into the sea out of fear after a series of volcanic eruptions.
A volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli has erupted, releasing hot trapped magma in a powerful explosion, killing one person and enveloping the popular tourist destination in ash.
The person, believed to be a tourist, was killed by falling stones during a hike, a rescue service official said. A second person was injured.
The eruption sparked fear among tourists and locals and sending a giant plume of ash and smoke into the sky.
Stromboli volcano
Molten lava flowed down the flanks of the volcano, setting alight bushes, trees and grass.
There were reports that some tourists had thrown themselves into the sea in panic, while others jumped into boats to evacuate the tiny island, which lies off the coast of Sicily.
Residents had barricaded themselves into their homes, according to Ansa, Italy's national news agency.
"I've never felt so much fear in my life," one visitor wrote on Twitter, posting a photograph of the sides of the volcano on fire.
Smoke billows from the volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli.
Another tourist wrote: "Panic and chaos among the people present on the island. Many are trying to escape into the sea or in small boats."
There was a series of violent explosions from the crater of the volcano, which dominates the island.
Fiona Carter, a British tourist on the neighbouring island of Panarea, which lies about 17 miles from Stromboli, heard the eruption.
"We turned around to see a mushroom cloud coming from Stromboli. Everyone was in shock. Then red hot lava started running down the mountain towards the little village of Ginostra," she told Reuters.
"The cloud got bigger, white and grey. It enveloped Ginostra and now the cloud has covered Stromboli entirely."
"We saw the explosion from the hotel. There was a loud roar," said Michela Favorito, who works in a hotel near Fico Grande, on the east side of the island.
"We plugged our ears and after this a cloud of ash swept over us. The whole sky is full of ash, a fairly large cloud," she said.
There was a series of violent explosions from the crater of the volcano, which dominates the island.
Firefighters were being deployed from nearby islands and a Canadair water-bombing aircraft was also sent.
Stefano Branca, from the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology, told Reuters there had been a "paroxysmal eruption" on the island, when high-pressure magma explodes from a shallow, underground reservoir. "These are events of great intensity and quite rare," he said.
Stromboli, which is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, is part of the Aeolian archipelago of islands, which attract sailors and celebrities during the summer months.
Tourists are drawn to its crystal clear waters, black sand beaches and the chance to climb the 3,000ft-high summit of the volcano.
