Mount Etna 2002 (HIC)

Question 1

Where is it located?

Answer 1

Northern Sicily.

Question 2

What plate boundary is it located on?

Answer 2

Destructive plate boundary.

Question 3

Did it cause any earthquakes?

Answer 3

Yes, a series of earthquakes occurred towards the end of 2002, beginning of 2003, measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale.

Question 4

When did it start and when did it end?

Answer 4

Series of eruptions began on 27th October 2002, ended January 2003.

Question 5

How many people died?

Answer 5

No known deaths.

Question 6

How many homes destroyed?

Answer 6

Over 100 homes destroyed.

Question 7

What were the effects of the eruptions?

Answer 7

• Over 1,000 people forced to leave their homes.
• Magma flung 100m in the air.
• Hundreds of hectares of forests destroyed.
• 75% of agricultural jobs were lost in the short term.
• Ash deposited as far away as Libya, affecting crop yield.
• Lots of farmland destroyed. Many vineyards destroyed which is a major source of income.
• Ski resorts destroyed by lava flows, affecting tourism.

Question 8

What were the responses?

Answer 8

• Holiday homes used to house people who were displaced.
• Emergency workers dug channels to divert lava flow away from Linguaglossa.
• £5.6 million used as immediate financial assistance.
• Concrete blocks placed to stop/slow lava flow.
• A ship with a medical clinic on board positioned off the coast of Catania in case of emergency.
• Residential areas evacuated.
• Helicopters sent to survey and water carrying planes were put on standby in case of forest fires.
• Catania airport shut for 2 weeks as ash covered runway and could be inside the aeroplane engines.