Giant clouds of ash were seen from a distance after Mount Etna erupted after being triggered by an avalanche of boiling rock hurtling down the side of the volcano.

Horrified tourists visiting the Italian volcano were forced to run for their lives after a gigantic ash cloud erupted behind them.

While some horror-struck were seen fleeing, others stopped on the way down the gravelly slopes to turn back and photograph and film that eruption.

Residents in the nearby towns and cities could see the dramatic cloud begin to dominate the skyline, with ash starting to settle on the buildings and roads.

In another video, the formation started to block out the sun. Tourists were able to visit the massive Mount Etna in guided tours or access certain areas independently.

A red cavitation warning was issued for a brief period of time by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Toulouse, but it has now turned to orange.

The most active volcano in Europe has been experiencing some sort of activity in the past few hours, with volcanic tremors being felt overnight, but that has now escalated to continuous explosions of growing intensity.