Zafferana November 2002 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------           The 1991–1993 eruption saw the town of Zafferana threatened by a lava flow, but successful diversion efforts saved the town with the loss of only one building a few hundred  metres from the town's margin. HOME Mount Etna, towering above Catania, Sicily's second largest city, has one of the world's  longest documented records of historical volcanism, dating back to 1500 BCE. Historical  lava flows of basaltic composition cover much of the surface of this massive volcano,  whose edifice is the highest and most voluminous in Italy. The Mongibello stratovolcano,  truncated by several small calderas, was constructed during the late Pleistocene and  Holocene over an older shield volcano. The most prominent morphological feature of  Etna is the Valle del Bove, a 5 x 10 km horseshoe-shaped caldera open to the east. Two  styles of eruptive activity typically occur, sometimes simultaneously. Persistent explosive  eruptions, sometimes with minor lava emissions, take place from one or more summit  craters. Flank vents, typically with higher effusion rates, are less frequently active and  originate from fissures that open progressively downward from near the summit (usually accompanied by Strombolian eruptions at  the upper end). Cinder cones are commonly constructed over the vents of lower-flank lava flows. Lava flows extend to the foot of the volcano on all sides and have  reached the sea over a broad area on the SE flank (Global Volcanism Program ).  In 2002–2003, a large eruption threw up a huge column of ash that could easily be seen from space and fell as far away as Libya, 600 km south across the  Mediterrian Sea. Seismic activity in this eruption caused the eastern flanks of the volcano to slip by up to two metres, and many houses on the flanks of the volcano  experienced structural damage. The eruption also completely destroyed the tourist station Piano de Lago, on the northeastern flank of the volcano, and part of the  tourist station "Etna Sud" around the Rifugio Sapienza on the south flank.  Etna  Location: 37.734° N, 15.004° E  Elevation: 3.350 m   Etna eruption November 2002  click on pictures to enlarge