Mount Etna

What is it like?
Mount Etna is a complex stratovolcano (volcanoes composed of alternating layers of lava and ash which are found at destructive plate boundaries) which towers 3340m over the city of Catania on the Mediterranean Island of Sicily, Italy.

What does it look like?

It is an ancient shield volcano with a younger stratovolcano built on top.

What features does it have?

Mount Etna volcano is a massive volcanic complex with numerous features, evident to its long and varied eruptive history. Its main features are: Summit Craters and Valle del Bove Depression. Summit craters / Calderas

A volcanic create is a summit depression greater than 1km diameter. These are produced when the build up of gases becomes extreme and huge explosions cause cones to collapse leaving a vent. This circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity is typically a circular basin and Mount Etna it consists of two adjacent craters: a NE crater and the larger SE crater. The SE crater is located at the top of the Valle del Bove and lava occasionally flows from the crater and enters the depression. All of the summit craters have been active in recent times.

Valle del Bove depression

A volcanic depression is a collapse created by a volcanic eruption. In recent years, a large depression on the East of Etna has frequently channelled lava flows from eruptions of the SE crater complex. The depression is essentially horseshoe-shaped and a about 5km wide and 10 long.

Piano Provenzano Area parasitic cones

As lava flows from Etna, the area surrounding the summit craters result in parasitic cones. The craters were most recently formed in October 2002, from which lava flowed into the Piano Provenzano ski resort, destroying much of its infrastructure.

What happens during eruptions?

The volcano has been frequently active in recent times and shows a combination of mild explosive activity, sometimes producing sustained ash columns, together with frequent A'a type lava flows which may reach runouts of several km. Paroxysmic lava events have been frequently observed at the summit craters in recent years.

Lava flow fed from SE crater emerging at base of Hornito, top of Valle del Bove, November 2006 Ash eruptions from new vent in November 2002

What damage is caused?

Lava flowed from Etna and hit the Piano Provenzano ski resort, destroying much of its infrastructure such as the ski lift which was buried in the ash, and the access to the resort.

Etna has an unpredictable, fiery hazard to those who reside nearby. Every time Etna erupts it causes devastation to the livelihoods it makes possible, covering large areas of fields and vineyards, numerous isolated buildings and several springs on the mountainside. Economic consequences Power lines, roads and railway destroyed Agricultural impacts affects the local economy both with sale and potential job losses, eventually having a direct impact on the local people through higher prices and redundancies Threat to buildings where evacuations, rebuilding and reimbursement has to take place The cutting of power lines, road and rail links, restricts people's movement and hampers any necessary rescue effort, while removing modern conveniences through lack of electricity and costing much in repair.

Social consequences Agricultural impacts affects the local economy both with sale and potential job losses, eventually having a direct impact on the local people through higher prices and redundancies

Environmental consequences Agricultural impacts with the dependence on the mountain for fertile land

To sum up there is great human consequence with significant trauma and hassle; economic impacts with the loss of crops and through the cost of repair.