4.8-magnitude earthquake hit the area around Europe’s most active volcano Mount Etna early Wednesday, injuring several people, damaging old buildings and forcing the partial closure of a highway, Italian civil protection authorities said. The quake was the strongest in the region after Mount Etna erupted on Monday, spewing ash and forcing the temporary closure of Sicilian airspace. Monday’s eruption occurred on the side of Mount Etna and was the first lateral eruption in a decade. Mount Etna is 3,300 meters high with frequent eruptions recorded in the past 2,700 years. Its most recent eruptions occurred in the spring of 2017 and its last major eruption in the winter of 2008-2009.

Source: Egypt Independent December 26, 2018 11:26 UTC