Catastrophic Etna eruption halts flights, prompts safety overhaul
At the end of July, the Airport Directorate in Catania, Sicily, decided to suspend all flight operations. Due to increased activity from Mount Etna, arrivals and departures have been halted.
A worrying piece of information has circulated the world in recent weeks: Mount Etna has become active again. According to experts, the eruption produced an impressive cloud of ash that reached as high as 8 kilometres above the ground. This natural phenomenon, though spectacular, poses a serious threat to air traffic.
The crisis management team monitoring the situation decided that flights would not be allowed to resume until the volcanic ash settled and the airport area was thoroughly cleaned.
The airport authorities have appealed to passengers to contact their airlines directly for the latest information regarding reservations and travel plans.
Meeting at the Prefecture and expansion of the so-called "yellow zone"
Etna's eruptions have necessitated changes in safety plans for the areas surrounding the volcano. As a result, a meeting was held at the Prefecture in Catania to update emergency procedures and access to the summit areas of Etna.
The meeting was chaired by Prefect Maria Carmela Librizzi and attended by representatives from various institutions, including local governments, INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology), regional Civil Protection, rescue services, and organisations managing the national park.
Prefect Librizzi noted the need to update the existing warning and volcano summit usage procedures, which have been in force since 2013. These changes are necessary due to the new crater formation, recent eruptive activities, and the introduction of new warning technologies, such as Etnas and Sic Alert. The new systems aim to better monitor the volcano and provide quicker warnings.
INGV's director presented scientific data on changes in the summit crater areas after the recent eruptions. Based on this information, expanding the so-called "yellow zone" to the area of greatest danger was necessary. This zone is now closed to the public, regardless of the volcanic alert level. The rest of the summit areas remain accessible without specific warnings.
New warning system
A representative of the regional Civil Protection discussed the operation of the new Etnas warning system, which introduces three risk levels: F0, F1, and F2. When moving from level F0 to F1, the red zone adjacent to the yellow zone is also closed. Municipal mayors are then obliged to issue orders prohibiting access to these areas.
Thanks to cooperation with INGV and Civil Protection, systems for instant alert dissemination will be introduced, including displays in municipalities and testing of sound warning systems for people in danger zones.
At the end of the meeting, Librizzi highlighted the need to promote a culture of prevention. She proposed the installation of multilingual information boards at major tourist points on Etna. These boards will contain guidelines on appropriate attire and behaviour in the event of a volcanic alert.
