Mt. Etna East - Sicily, Italy

From Nunziata, near Mascali on Sicily's Ionian coast, this camera looks up at the eastern side of Mount Etna, the giant volcano that often sends plumes of gas and ash drifting from its summit. In 1928 a lava flow buried old Mascali, and the town was rebuilt nearby.

Etna stands about 11,014 feet (3,357 m) high, though the number keeps changing as eruptions build up and blow apart its summit. It has five main summit craters, and its slopes cover around 459 square miles (1,190 km²).

It's one of the most active volcanoes in the world and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2013. Farms, vineyards and villages climb high up its fertile slopes, despite the regular eruptions.

Did You Know? Sicilians also call Etna Mongibello, a name that likely joins an old word for mountain with the Arabic jabal, which also means mountain.

See more live volcano cams, explore the Landscapes collection, browse live webcams in Italy, or explore our Live Webcam Map.

Featured in: Volcano Live Cams: When Earth Lets Off Steam