A volcano on an Italian island popular with tourists has started to erupt more violently than usual, sending a flow of lava into the sea.
Stromboli, a classic cone-shaped island, is a constantly active volcano, attracting thousands of visitors every year to climb to its summit and admire the regular blasts of molten rock, but more powerful eruptions can be dangerous.
"There's a general alert," said a member of the Civil Protection for the Aeolian Islands, off Sicily. "The emergency services are monitoring the situation, clearing zones at risk . . . but at the moment we don't foresee an evacuation."
In December 2002, a large eruption caused the island to be closed to visitors for months. Buildings around the coast were damaged when a huge chunk of rock broke off and plunged into the sea, causing a 10-metre tsunami.