Etna, Italy’s largest of three active volcanoes, has sprung into life on Christmas Eve

Lava and ash are erupting from a new fracture on the active Sicilian volcano after high seismic activity and a ‘swarm’ of 130 tremors were recorded on Monday.

Lava and ash are spewing from a new fracture on Italy’s Mount Etna amid an unusually high level of seismic activity at the Sicilian volcano, according to observatory officials.

A swarm of 130 tremors had been recorded by midday on Monday, the most powerful registering a magnitude of 4.0, the Mount Etna Observatory said.

Mount Etna volcano spews lava during an eruption in early December. It has now started spewing ash and lava. Picture: AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra

It reported lava flows from the volcano and said a new fracture had opened near its southeast crater.

The owner of a refuge on the volcano said hikers were being brought down from higher elevations to 1900 metres for their safety.

But there are no reports of injuries, and so far the spewing ash is not causing disruptions to residents of nearby towns and cities.

Mount Etna in Sicily has roared back into spectacular volcanic action, sending up plumes of ash and spewing lava but towns and cities are not yet being evacuated. Picture: AP Photo

Etna, the largest of Italy’s three active volcanoes, has been particularly active since July.