Europe's most active volcano Mount Etna was hit by a 4.8 magnitude earthquake overnight, injuring four people, damaging old buildings and forcing the closure of part of a highway running along the sea. The activity took place two days after Etna erupted sending a column of ash into the air. This caused temporary closure of Sicilian airspace.
As the earthquake struck at 3.19 am, many residents were forced out of their homes to sleep in their cars.
The national institute for geophysics and vulcanology (INGV) said the quake was only one kilometre (0.6 miles) deep. Damage has been caused to old buildings in the towns of Santa Venerina and Zafferana Etnea.
Despite the closure of a part of the highway running along the coast, the airport at the eastern city of Catania, the capital of the province, was open.
Four people suffered light injuries, officials said. Monday's eruption occurred on the side of Mount Etna and was the first lateral eruption in a decade.
Mount Etna is 3,300 metres high with frequent eruptions recorded in the past 2,700 years.
At the end of March a study published in the Bulletin of Volcanology said Etna was slowly sliding towards the Mediterranean —at a constant pace of 14 millimetres per year.
With inputs from AFP
