Etna Spews Lava, Ash; Lava Flow Slows as It Creeps Toward Town on Mountain's Slope

The Associated Press Published: Jul 20, 2001

CATANIA, Sicily (AP) - Mount Etna put on a spectacular display Friday, spewing glowing red lava and plumes of smoke. Civil defense officials said lava was creeping toward a town on the slopes, but its advance had slowed. Etna, one of Europe's most active volcanoes, has been acting up since last week, after a series of small earthquakes in the region. The southeast crater is now spattered with lava fountains and clouded with dense ash.

The lava is now about 5 miles from the town of Nicolosi near Catania, but it is slowing and civil defense officials say the town is not in danger.

Civil protection teams have diverted the flow by building an embankment of earth and asphalt. The lava flow has traveled about half a mile from the volcano's mouth in week.

Enrico Galeani, a civil protection official, said a resort that was evacuated Wednesday along with two restaurants will almost certainly be destroyed.

The only casualty has been a hiker who was injured Wednesday following a sudden burst of lava.

Etna springs to life every few months, and its slopes are closely monitored. Even so, experts were surprised when a new lava mouth opened, Galeani said.

The volcano's last major eruption was in 1992.

AP-ES-07-20-01 0904EDT

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2001

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-- Anonymous, July 20, 2001