Zafferana

The town of Zafferana Etnea offers a classic case study for the management of natural hazards. The town is located on the southeastern slope of Mt. Etna volcano and as a result lives with the threat of lava flows. The last serious threat occurred during the 1991–1993 eruption, when the lava front came to a halt only 1.7km from the centre of town. Over the eruption period, lava flows where held back by large earth barriers, then when they overflowed, concrete blocks were dropped through the lava tube and then opening tubes were blasted to divert the flow away from Zafferana. Students can visit the southeastern slopes and the town to learn more about how this threat of natural hazards are managed.