Author(s)

F. Patania, A. Gagliano, F. Nocera & G. Sciuto

Abstract

Adverse effects on peoples' health as a result of the Etna volcano eruption: singling out and precautionary controls F. ~atania', A. ~ a ~ l i a n o ~ , F. ~ocera' & G. ~ciuto' I Energy and Environment Division of D.I.I.M. 2 C. E. U. -Ennu (Italy) Engineering Faculty of University of Catania (Italy) Abstract The eruption of the Etna volcano lasted from October 2002 to January 2003 and has been marked both from severe effusive-explosive activity and very impressive ash emissions, sometimes reaching more than 4.700 m above sea level. In Catania city, at the foot of the volcano, and in surrounding small towns, the phenomena has been very impressive as the values of ash fallout on some days reached about 2,5 Kg/m2. Owing to the amount of ash fallout there has been large and marked economic damage for agriculture and transport services both by road and by air: it is enough to evaluate the economic damage to know that there has been the loss of use of the International Airport of Catania for a long

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