Etna Eruption 2002-2003

On October 26, 2002, a seismic swarm was detected on the northeastern slope of Etna. This was followed by the start of eruptive activity, forming a volcanic fracture that spread south-southwestward and intense lava fountain activity. At the same time, an ash plume was released from the northern and southern sectors of the fracture. The emission of ash from Etna's pyroclastic cones immediately became one of the most critical concerns in emergency management.

On October 27, alerting procedures were activated, and department staff traveled to the site. One day later, on October 28, ground support services were activated. At the same time, monitoring activities were fully implemented and intensified, and risk scenarios were simulated.

On October 29, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake with a macroseismic epicenter in S. Venerina was recorded, followed by further tremors. The municipalities of Zafferana, Milo, Sant'Alfio, Acireale, Piedimonte, Fiumefreddo, Acicatena, and Giarre were affected. Tent camps were set up, and emergency work was initiated. Damage assessment units were promptly established to inspect the affected areas, and efforts were made to secure public and private buildings.

On November 13, a new vent on the volcano's southern slope opened, and a new flow began to propagate. To manage the effects of this eruption, it was decided to open a Joint Operations Center (COM) in Ragalna and an Advanced COM at the premises of the restaurant "La Cantoniera" west of Rifugio Sapienza.

On November 21, a new volcanic vent opened at a lower altitude of 2750m compared to the previous one. This vent released a lava flow that approached the Rifugio Sapienza in the following days. As a result, the 4th Engineer Regiment (Reggimento Genio Guastatori) of Palermo was called in to assist, and together with private companies, they built earth dams to contain the lava flow.

Since December 10, lava emission from a fracture located at the southeast base of the 2750m elevation cone again threatened the area of Rifugio Sapienza in the province of Catania. After a new increase in the effusion rate, on December 16, the edge of the lava overflowed the banks. It destroyed the building housing the Service Center of the Municipality of Nicolosi near the Rifugio Sapienza and the "Esagonal" restaurant.

Effusive and explosive activity, including ash emissions, continued throughout December and January.

On January 29, 2003, the lava flows cooled, and explosive activity ended.

Men and vehicles deployed. During the emergency, the maximum number of rescue units was reached on November 3, with over 1,500 personnel and 500 vehicles. On average, the Civil Protection Department had 25 personnel units, the Region of Sicily had 100, the Army had 70, the Fire Brigade had 200, the State Police had 60, the Carabinieri had 80, the Air Force had 30, the State Forestry Corps had 80, and the Guardia di Finanza had 15. In total, there were 540 volunteers involved in the operation.

Assisted population. On November 5, the highest number of people, 1120 in total, were accommodated in emergency facilities such as hotels and tents. By November 7, the tents were replaced by caravans. The ongoing sequence of earthquakes, with periodic more intense events, led to fluctuations in the number of people seeking emergency housing due to new injuries or fear of further tremors. From December 18, 2002, when autonomous accommodation support began, the number of people living in caravans, tents, and hotels decreased. Additionally, five temporary structures were constructed - three in S. Venerina and two in Guardia Mangano - for religious and school purposes, and multiple areas were equipped with containers used for commercial and school purposes in other locations.

Safety interventions and habitability inspections. Following the initial interventions to secure unsafe buildings, over 8400 inspections were conducted to assess habitability in 14 municipalities in the Etna area. These inspections revealed that more than 3000 buildings were not fit for use. The ongoing seismic activity, characterized by periodic intense events at different epicenters, led to a surge in inspection requests. Even previously verified buildings were re-inspected due to concerns that new tremors may have caused additional damage.

Emergency plans. During the emergency, emergency plans were developed for the municipalities of Linguaglossa and Ragalna, which were added to those of Belpasso, Nicolosi, and Mascalucia, which had already been prepared.

Interventions for managing lava flows. The Department addressed the evolution of the lava flow on the eastern side of Etna, which threatened the settlements downstream of the eruptive vent and activated a technical-scientific and planning unit composed of regional and national Civil Protection officials. Interventions were coordinated to protect tourist facilities in the area. These interventions focused on constructing temporary earth dams to guide the natural flow of the lava and safeguard assets and related tourist and commercial activities at higher elevations. Both Army vehicles and those of private operators were utilized to redirect the lava flow away from the Rifugio Sapienza.

Interventions for addressing the impacts of ash fallout. The ash fallout caused significant damage to agriculture and severe disruptions to air traffic and Catania airport. The airport was closed multiple times for several days. As a result, the Department and volunteer forces distributed protective masks. Citizens were also asked to take preventive measures to avoid respiratory complications and clean house roofs. Extraordinary efforts were also requested from agencies responsible for cleaning roads and highways to prevent accidents and clogging of sewer systems. The repeated release of ash necessitated the implementation of recurring safety measures.

Health aspects. The emergency response involved activating advanced medical units, strengthening local health facilities, and organizing ambulances from agencies such as 118, the Italian Red Cross, the National Association of Public Assistance, and Misericordie. It also included identifying disabled individuals, conducting flu vaccination campaigns in reception camps, providing psychological and social assistance, distributing protective masks to safeguard respiratory health from volcanic ash during fallout, establishing an epidemiological observatory to monitor the potential impact of ash fallout on specific diseases, conducting chemical analysis, and disseminating correct behaviors to the population.

Emergency telecommunications. The Department installed and activated 8 radio links on dedicated frequencies to facilitate communication among civil protection operators during emergencies. In addition, over 50 ISDN fixed telephone lines were set up for the Directorate of Command and Control and the Joint Operations Centers, and mobile phone networks were enhanced through field links.