A southern Italian airport was on Saturday closed due to ash from Mount Etna, forcing traffic to be diverted to Palermo, the ANSA news agency said.

Catania airport on the east coast of the island of Sicily was not expected to re-open before Sunday morning while the runway was cleared, the report said.

The volcano, which currently does not present any risk to local residents, spewed lava on to its southeastern slopes on Saturday afternoon and winds carried the ash further afield.

Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe at 3,295 metres (10,810 feet). The last eruption was in May.

A massive flood of meltwater from Iceland's Myrdalsjoekull glacier, meanwhile, has raised fears of an eruption from the powerful Katla volcano there.