Lava Flowing Along Side Houses

After reports of mysterious mass animal deaths around the planet, photos of a fierce volcanic eruption are given:

Thankfully, these magnificent pictures of Mount Etna's latest eruption are merely a chance to revel in the awesome power of nature rather than a reason to start stocking up on canned goods.

The 3,329-metre (10,922-feet) volcano erupted for around an hour, lighting up the Sicilian sky and providing amazing scenery for the village of Milo, just 12 kilometres away.

Fire in the hole: Mount Etna spews lava on the southern Italian island of Sicily yesterday evening

Plumes rose up in the sky

Living on the edge: The Sicilian sky is illuminated by Mount Etna's evening eruption

Eruption: Lava cascades down the slopes of Mount Etna after its latest activity

The eruption was a strombolian explosion from the active pit crater on the east flank of the Southeast Crater cone of Etna

Large stones, known as volcanic 'bombs', and a sizeable quantity of ash was released by the volcano earlier this month, though no lava was released on that occasion.

Known as 'Jebel Utlamat' in Arabic - meaning 'mountain of fire - Etna's name is thought to originate from the Phoenician word 'attuna', meaning 'furnace'.

The volcano has been active for around half a million years, with 15,000 people killed during its most violent eruption in 1669.