Spectacular lava flows and smoke from an active volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli on Monday sparked fear among inhabitants but geophysicists said the situation was under control.

Stromboli is part of the seven-island Eolian Archipelago just off Sicily in southern Italy.

The volcano is active but on Monday there was a particularly powerful eruption and sustained lava flows following four days of heightened activity.

Stromboli mayor Marco Giorgianni told the island's 500 inhabitants that they were not at risk and experts from Italy's civil protection agency are due on the island for further controls shortly.

"We are afraid," one resident, Pier Paolo Cincotta, was quoted by the ANSA news agency as saying.

"No-one has really explained to us what the situation is and what we should do," he said.

Italy's National Geophysics Institute is monitoring the situation.