Residents and municipal teams worked Wednesday to clean up a Sicilian village near Mount Etna after Europe’s most active volcano spewed lava, ashes and volcanic stones. The eruption, which featured spectacular displays of gushing lava, forced the temporary closure of Sicily's Catania Airport, a frequent occurrence when Etna is in an active phase.

As Tuesday's volcanic activity was largely expected, areas surrounding the crater were secured and there were no reported injuries or deaths. But nearby residents said the eruption was unusual in that big chunks of volcanic stones carpeted the area, not just ash. “It was a rain of stones. Something I never saw in my entire life,” Pedara resident Letizia Olivieri said.