Mt. Etna : Precautions to reduce volcano damage
Over the past 20 years various Short-Term methods of reducing the damage from lava
flows from Mt Etna have been attempted – with varying amounts of success. Disaster
Response actions include:
DROPPING CONCRETE BLOCKS (from helicopters
into the vent of Mt Etna) To reduce the flow of lava
emerging from the volcano (see link below)
SPRAYING WATER ON LAVA (from planes and
pumps piped from the sea). To cool the lava and
solidify it higher up the slopes so that it doesn’t flow
down to the settlements lower down.
EXPLOSIVES FOR DIVERSION CHANNELS – army
explosives experts set off controlled explosions in a line
to create deep channels which diverted the lava away
from settlements and onto farmland.
BUILDING EARTH DIVERSION WALLS – bulldozers
piled up ash and earth to form walls which diverted the
lava onto farmland and away from settlements.
Weblinks :
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Mt. Etna : Future Precautions (long term)
Trying to predict when future eruptions might take place can improve evacuation and help
get emergency services ready.
HAZARD MAPPING – mapping the
contours of Mt Etna and working out
where future lava flows are likely to go –
and banning any new buildings in those
zones. This reduces the people at risk.
MONITORING SEISMIC ACTIVITY – More
frequent surface earthquakes indicate
magma rising up a vent. By monitoring the
pattern of earthquakes some scientists think
they can predict eruptions in the coming
days & weeks
THERMAL IMAGES – infra-red
cameras measure surface heat.
These can be done by satellites
from space and show an area of
volcano getting hotter – indicating
rising magma. Areas at risk can
then be evacuated in advance.