Living in the shadow of a volcano

The red lava outshines the lights of Catania

July 25, 2001
Web posted at: 11:10 AM EDT (1510 GMT)

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(CNN) -- Lava explod ing from Mount Etna is providing a spectacular sight for residents of nearby towns every night.

The volcano on the Italian island of Sicily has been increasingly active during the past week, spewing lava, ash and rock from several fissures.

Rivers of lava have flowed down Mount Etna, threatening nearby villages despite thousands of gallons of water being dropped by air to try to cool the advancing lava.

VIDEO Residents in the area of Italy's Mt. Etna are keeping an eye on Europe's most active volcano (July 25) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

However, experts have announced that Mount Etna is stable and poses no immediate threat.

The 10,860 foot volcano, the most active in Europe, has been spewing molten lava from fractures on its southern slope for more than a week.

The opening of two new fractures on Monday, however, eased pressure on the volcano's main opening, thereby slowing the flow of lava towards towns on the volcano's lower slopes.

RESOURCES • Gallery of images: Click here for more photos from the volcano   • Education resource: Riverdeep's interactive Volcano Lab

"The situation is more static," said Paolo Madonia, a geologist with Italy's National Institute of Geophysic s and Vulcanology. "The lava continues to be fed, but more slowly."

"At night time it's a wonderful show -- even if it is dangerous and causing a lot of damage," 21-year-old American Amalia Calasiore told CNN.

The eruption has caused $3.1 million in damage, including losses in tourism and agriculture, the local government said.

Calasiore, a student at University of Catania near the foot of Mount Etna, said "It really is something, you have to see it because it's hard to describe -- the lava show is spectacular nature."

Her home an hour from Catania is covered in ash, but she has had no problems breathing.

"The sky is grey, there is ash everywhere, " she said.

In villages closer to the volcano people protect themselves from the ash with umbrellas, as small earthquakes rumble intermittently.

Ash from Etna spreads across the Mediterranean

As Etna comes to life every few months, Calasiore said she had not been worried about the latest bout of activity.

"We live with it, people are used to it. They're not afraid of it," she said.

Catania taxi driver Mario Laudani was more worried, saying: "I've seen various eruptions and I love Mount Etna, but this time I'm a little concerned, as we just don't know what will happen."

The last major eruption of Mount Etna was in 1992.

A national state of emergency -- declared last Thursday -- remains in force around the volcano, which continues to spew smoke and black ash thousands of feet into the air, carpeting the streets of the nearby city of Catania.

Volcano may blow again, experts warn
June 25, 2001

Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy

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