Europe's most active volcano Mount Etna erupts again

Rivers of glowing lava have been flowing down the slopes of Mount Etna, after Europe's most active volcano erupted once again.

The latest eruption happened on the island of Sicily, where bright orange lava lit up the night sky and could be seen from miles away.

Eruptions on Mount Etna take place quite frequently, and they are not usually disruptive or a threat to local people.

However, scientists have said that it has seen more activity in recent times, with frequent and powerful explosions.

Etna is located on the Mediterranean island of Sicily, off the coast of Italy.

It's also one of the world's most active volcanoes, with eruptions taking place several times a year - and sometimes even within a month.

On Friday, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, which monitors volcanoes in Italy, reported that lava had started to flow on Etna's eastern side.

This latest eruption occurred on Monday night, when experts say that molten rock gushed from an eruptive vent at an altitude of around 3,000 metres.

Smoke was also spotted coming from the mountain and officials have raised the alert level for the volcano from green to yellow, and strengthened monitoring of Etna to keep a close eye out for any increased activity.

1. Mount Etna can be found on the eastern cost of Sicily, the largest Mediterranean island. The volcano is so big it can be seen from just about every part of Sicily.

2. According to Unesco, which recognised the volcano as a World Heritage Site in 2013, the eruptive history of the volcano can be traced back 500,000 years.

3. Mount Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe. It stands at around 3,400 metres tall and has a base that measures just under 100 miles.

4. The largest recorded historical eruption of Mount Etna occurred in 1669. The volcano started rumbling on 11 March, which was followed by a number of big eruptions over the following weeks - which took place for around four months.

5. Mount Etna is an example of a composite volcano, the most common type of volcano. They can have violent eruptions and can grow bigger as layers of thick lava and ash harden on top of each other.