ITALY: TOURISTS GATHER TO SEE SICILY'S MOUNT ETNA VOLCANO SPEW ITS LAVA INTO THE NIGHT SKY

Record ID: 648388

  • Title: ITALY: TOURISTS GATHER TO SEE SICILY'S MOUNT ETNA VOLCANO SPEW ITS LAVA INTO THE NIGHT SKY
  • Date: 24th July 2001
  • Summary: (U7)CATANIA AND NICOLISI, SICILY, ITALY (JULY 24, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) CATANIA 1. GV: MOUNT ETNA BILLOWING SMOKE OVERSHADOWING CATANIA 0.04 2. PAN; DAY VIEW OF CATANIA'S CATHEDRAL 0.13 3. LV: CROWDED CENTRAL STREET/ MV/SV: PEOPLE IN STREET (3 SHOTS) 0.28 4. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) NEWLY WED COUPLE SAYING: "We haven't been at all afraid. We're too happy and haven't thought about Etna at all." 0.39 5. LV: CARS IN STREET/ PEOPLE GOING ABOUT USUAL ACTIVITIES 0.45 6. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) TAXI DRIVER MARIO LAUDANI SAYING: "I've seen various eruptions and I love Mount Etna, but this time I'm a little concerned, as we just don't know what will happen." 0.58 7. SLV: CENTRAL PIAZZA IN CATANIA 1.02 8. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) PIPPO VASSALLO SAYING: "We live in fire, that's our land, so we can't be impressed by this latest activity. Whoever is afraid is lost." 1.13 (U7)NICOLOSI, SICILY, ITALY (JULY 24, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. VARIOUS TOURISTS ON ROAD WALKING UP TO SEE THE VIEW/ CU ETNA SPEWING SMOKE (2 SHOTS) 1.28 10. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (German) TOURIST WOLFGANG HEPPELE SAYING: "It's very dangerous for the local people and, if lava comes further down, then the people will have to be evacuated - but it's an incredible sight." 1.39 11. MV: TOURISTS AT DUSK LOOKING TOWARDS ETNA 1.43 12. SV: CHILD COLLECTING ASH AND PUTTING IN PACKET TO TAKE HOME 1.48 13. SV: TOURISTS 1.54 14. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH TOURIST CHRISTINA BEVAN SAYING: "I wouldn't want to live here - oh, this is a bit of volcanic rock - I'm taking this home." 2.06 15. VARIOUS: SPECTACULAR NIGHT VIEWS OF LAVA SPEWING FROM VOLCANO (5 SHOTS) 2.42 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 8th August 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CATANIA AND NICOLOSI, SICILY, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVA3UUTRGIW25UQYWYME1SLSLJ7P
  • Story Text: Spectacular bursts of lava from Mount Etna continued to
    spew into the night sky, as Europe's most active volcano
    showed it hadn't quite finished its latest bout of activity.

    Earlier, civil protection officials said two fissures had
    closed and there was reduced activity although they said
    the situation could change quickly.


    Hundreds of tourists gather every evening to view the
    latest display from Mount Etna, many of them walking
    kilometres along a road that runs up to one of the fissures.

    "It's very dangerous for the local people and, if the lava
    comes further down, then the people will have to evacuated,
    but it's an incredible sight," said Wolfgang Heppele who
    happened to be on holiday in Sicily with his family and made
    a special trip to see the volcano. "I wouldn't want to live
    here," said British tourist Christina Bevan holding a piece
    of rock from the volcano.

    "I'm taking this home," she added.

    Inhabitants of Catania, Sicily's second city, which lies
    thirty kilometres away from the volcano, seemed largely
    unaffected by the volcano's latest activity, even though
    billowing smoke could be clearly seen from the city's streets.

    A newly wed couple having their wedding pictures taken in
    the city's streets said they hadn't given a moment of thought
    to the erupting volcano.

    "We haven't been at all afraid, we're too happy and
    haven't thought about Etna at all," the couple said.

    "I've seen various eruptions and I love Mount Etna, but
    this time I am a little concerned as we just don't know what
    will happen," said local taxi driver Mario Laudani.

    All of Catania's inhabitants have lived in the shadow of
    the volcano all their lives and many people just can't
    understand what all the fuss is about.

    "We live in fire, that's our land, so we can't be
    impressed by this latest activity - whoever is afraid is
    lost," said Pippo Vassallo who had taken up his usual position
    in the central piazza to watch the world go by.


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