Italy: Catania airport closes after Etna eruption


Antonino Galofaro (correspondent in Italy), edited by Gauthier Delomez / Photo credits: Salvatore Allegra / ANADOLU AGENCY / Anadolu Agency via AFP

Due to an eruption of Mount Etna, all flights departing and arriving at the Sicilian airport of Catania in Italy are canceled on Monday, and now until 8 p.m. The city’s mayor signed an executive order noting that “many areas of the city are covered in a layer of volcanic ash.”

All flights departing and arriving at the Sicilian airport of Catania in Italy are canceled on Monday, and now until 8 p.m., due to an eruption of Mount Etna, whose ashes fall on space air, announced the airport. “Due to the eruptive activity of Mount Etna and the fall of volcanic ash, flight operations are suspended until 8 p.m.” (6 p.m. GMT), the airport management company said on its website. from Catania.

A layer of volcanic ash

Earlier in the day, she said departing and arriving flights were only canceled until 11 a.m. GMT, asking passengers to check with their airline for further information. At the same time, the mayor of Catania Enrico Trantino signed a decree “prohibiting for the next 48 hours the circulation of two-wheelers, bicycles and motorcycles, since many areas of the city are covered with a layer of volcanic ash” , the municipality said on its website.

Culminating at 3,324 meters, Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe. It has erupted frequently over the past 500,000 years. Last year, around 10 million passengers passed through Catania International Airport, which serves the eastern part of Sicily, one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations.



Source link -75