Etna's ash reaches Calabria as Catania flights suspended

Mount Etna has suspended flights at Catania airport once again, as the volcano continues to spew lava and volcanic ash, according to Deutsche Welle. The eruption has disrupted travel during the peak summer holiday season, with hundreds of flights canceled over the past week, the New York Times reported.

The volcano, Europe's most active, is sending molten lava, rocks and ash down its slopes, according to the Guardian. An expert told the New York Times that while Etna erupts often, it usually does not release this much ash — a factor that has complicated air travel and drawn flocks of sometimes ill-equipped tourists to the slopes, the Local Italy reported.

For Calabria, the disruption is not a distant Sicilian affair. The region's ports, including those along the Strait of Messina, serve as the primary gateway for travelers and freight moving between the mainland and Sicily. With Catania's airport closed, the strait's ferry routes face added strain as passengers seek alternative ways to reach the island.