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CNN Live Saturday

Emergency Crews Work to Keep Mount Etna's Lava out of Tourist Areas

Aired July 28, 2001 - 17:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: Fire and brimstone from atop one of Europe's most active volcanoes. Mount Etna stands nearly 11,000 feet over Sicily. And for the past two weeks, molten lava and ash has been spewing from the volcano's mouth. It's breathtaking, but it's dangerous.

Emergency crews are working to keep boiling lava from reaching tourist areas now. Meanwhile, ash has forced the closure of Sicily's main airport. For more on Mount Etna's eruption, we're joined on the phone by professor Enzo Boschi, president of Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, who is calling us from Catania, Sicily. Professore, thank you for joining us.

ENZO BOSCHI, VULCANOLOGIST: Thank you.

FRAZIER: What is happening at this time?

BOSCHI: Oh, the volcano is very active, very (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And we don't see any indication that it's going to slow its activities. So, it seems that we will have activity for a long time.

FRAZIER: One American expert said the volcano is still inflating, what does that word mean?

BOSCHI: Oh, it means that magma is coming from the mantle, from the interior and it's coming hot to try to get out from (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

FRAZIER: And there are two new fractures in the side of the mountain. Is that a good thing or bad?

BOSCHI: Well, new fractures are very good, because it's going -- the lava can not from (UNINTELLIGIBLE) is going to (UNINTELLIGIBLE), where there is no village, and so there is no danger for small villages.

FRAZIER: And tell me about the efforts to make walls to direct or divert the lava.

BOSCHI: Yeah, this is a very terrible job. We are trying to divert the lava from the buildings. And if the lava maintains its volume, we will be able to save these buildings, but if the lava is going to increase, it will be nearly impossible. Everything will be decided by the volcano.

FRAZIER: Everything decided by the volcano, not by mankind. Professor Boschi, thank you for explaining that to us, and good luck.

BOSCHI: Thank you very much.

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