Mount Etna

Mount Etna is located near the province of Catania in Sicily. It is the largest active volcano in Europe. Reaching a hefty 10,910 feet high, it is nearly three times the height of Mount Vesuvius (which is only 4,200 feet). It is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. It is also abundant with life. Trees and flowers grow where lava once flowed. Vineyards and orchards grow on its fertile volcanic soils. It’s also a popular place for skiers and hikers, and people also live on its slopes.

Of the towns nestled in the mountainside is Piedimonte Etneo, which, when translated, means “the foot of Mount Etna”, which is exactly where the town is located. It is also where my family is from. Imagine living on the side of an active volcano! According to the Sicilian Surnames Search Engine, there are about 28 people with the same last name as me currently living in Piedimonte Etneo. There are about 216 in Catania and 210 in Palermo.

Mount Etna was also a popular subject in Greek and Roman mythology. Andranus (a fire god in Sicilian mythology) was said to have lived beneath the mountain before being driven out by Vulcan, the god of fire and the forge. Vulcan then kept his smithy under Etna. The word "volcano" is also derived from his name. The Cyclops were said to have forged weapons there, including Zeus' lightning bolts. Aeolus, the ruler of the winds, was said to have resided in Etna, where he kept the winds in caves below the mountain. The giant Typhon was imprisoned under Etna, and was said to be the cause of its eruptions. Another giant, Enceladus, was defeated by Athena and buried under Etna. It is said that the volcano’s tremors are his movements in pain from the wound of Athena’s spear, and its eruptions are his breath.

Despite the fact that Mount Etna is regularly active, those who reside on or near it are seldom in danger. The probability of having one’s home destroyed by the lava flow is slim. Most damage that occurs comes from fallen ash. When an eruption occurs, activities generally continue as normal, but precautions are always taken to ensure safety. Only seven eruptions have had reported deaths. Out of these, there have only been two notable major disasters that have taken place on Mount Etna: one in 1169, reportedly responsible for up to 15,000 deaths, and the most famous disaster of 1669 which killed up to 20,000 people.

One of the largest series of eruptions in years occurred in October 2002. A huge explosion of ash, which landed as far away as Libya, could be seen from space. Lucasfilm recorded footage of the eruptions and used it in the movie Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The most recent eruption happened on September 4, 2007 around 8:00 pm, lasting until the following morning between 5 and 7 am (local time). The Catania-Fontanarossa Airport had to shut down operations. According to National Geographic, Mount Etna has grown increasingly active over the last fifty years.

To see videos of Mount Etna’s eruptions, visit the following links:
http://youtube.com/results?search_query=Etna
http://www.vulcanoetna.com/it_video.php
http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/movies/etna_mov.html

To see a live webcam of Mount Etna, visit the following link:
http://www.ct.ingv.it/Ufso/Default.asp?Pagina=vulcano.asp&Vulcano=Ecv&Refresh=180

References:
http://boris.vulcanoetna.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Etna
http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/img_etna.html