Watch: Italy's Mount Etna spews lava on Christmas day

Italy's Mount Etna continued to erupt and spew lava from its crater on Tuesday as Christmas night fell.

Spectacular eruptions lit up the sky and rivers of smoking red lava streamed down the slope of the southeast crater.

Around 130 tremors have rocked the volcano since around 0800 GMT on Monday (December 24), Italy's National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology said, with the strongest posting a magnitude of 4.0.

The 3,330 metres high volcano can burst into spectacular action several times a year, spewing lava and ash high over the Mediterranean island.

The last major eruption was in 1992.