Mount Etna Case Study

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Mount Etna
- Social Impacts
  - No deaths
    - Home to approx. one million people.
  - Lava destroyed springs and water supply was disrupted.
  - Schools closed
  - Buildings destroyed by lava
- Economic Impacts
  - Lava destroyed tourist station at Piano Provenzana
  - Catania airport closed due to ash
  - Lava took out power cables
  - Agricultural yields affected
  - Millions of insurance claims for property damage
- Political Impacts
  - The Italian Army's heavy equipment was brought in to block and divert lava flows
  - The Italian government pledged immediate financial assistance of more than $8 million.
- Environment Impacts
  - Orange groves, vineyards, chestnuts and hazel groves destroyed
  - Ash deposited material as far away as Libya, 600km
- Risk management
  - Monitoring of volcano for 20 years
    - Land swelling and gas emissions
  - Development of evacuation plans and emergency supplies.
- Mitigation
  - Dams of soil and volcanic rock were put up to protect the tourist base and helped to divert lava flow.
  - Evacuation of people from Nicolosi
Adaptation
- Buildings strengthened to reduce risk of collapse from weight of ash
- Mount Etna used for tourism to generate local income.
- Management plans
Italy, 2002
VEI 3

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