In 1669, in what has been considered the volcano’s worst known eruption, lava buried a swath of Catania, about 23 kilometers (15 miles) away and devastated dozens of villages. An eruption in 1928 cut off a rail route circling the mountain’s base.

Violent explosions have created two small lava flows and strong tremors at Sicily’s most active volcano, but have not disrupted activity at Catania airport