Photos show what happened after Mount Etna — Europe's tallest active volcano — erupted, causing a local airport to close

• Mount Etna on the coast of Sicily, Italy, erupted on Sunday.
• The eruption and volcanic fallout forced the Catania International Airport to close.

Europe's most active volcano erupted Sunday, forcing one of Sicily's main airports to close amid summer travel.

Catania International Airport said in a Twitter statement that Mount Etna's eruption and the subsequent volcanic ash fallout forced it to suspend flight operations until 8 p.m. local time. As of Monday, flights scheduled to depart and arrive at the airport have been canceled, diverted to other airports, or delayed.

Representatives for the airport did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

ANSA, an Italian news company, reported that travelers said the airport's website wasn't working correctly and failed to provide necessary flight updates. The outlet reported the airport also faced disruptions in July when a fire broke out in the arrivals terminal. This is the second time since May that an eruption from Mount Etna caused the airport to shutter, according to Reuters.

According to a statement from the Municipality of Catania, Catania's mayor issued a temporary 48-hour ordinance barring residents from using two-wheeled vehicles like motorcycles and bikes following the eruption. The statement said crews had already begun cleaning city streets.

The French international news agency AFP reported that Mount Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe at almost 11,000 feet and has erupted often over the last 500,000 years.