A volcano has erupted on the Italian island of Stromboli, killing one person and sending frightened tourists fleeing.
The victim is a male hiker who was hit by a falling stone, while other people were injured.
The navy has been deployed for a possible mass evacuation, with 70 people already evacuated.
The volcano is one of the most active on the planet and has been under a regular state of eruption since 1932.
“Unfortunately one man is dead, there are a few injured, but none seriously,” emergency worker Calogero Foti told Italy’s Rai television.
The victim was a 35-year-old man from Sicily who was hiking when the volcano erupted twice. His Brazilian friend was discovered dehydrated and in a state of shock, the AGI news agency reported.
Holidaymakers were reported to have run into the sea after seeing ash rising from the volcano. The island is a popular location for holiday homes of the rich and famous.
Stromboli is known as the “Lighthouse of the Mediterranean” and has a population of around 500. The last major eruption was in 2002, when a blast destroyed local buildings and piers, injuring six.
Source: bbc.com
