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CNN Live At Daybreak

Residents Near Mount Etna Brace for Possible Evacuation

Aired July 26, 2001 - 07:09   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Mount Etna is one of Europe's most active volcanoes. Italian authorities say towns near the volcano are not in any immediate danger, but some villagers have been told to be ready in case an emergency evacuation is necessary.

CNN's Matthew Chance now joins us live from Mount Etna -- I hope from a safe position, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENCE: That's right, Carol.

And it's a very awesome situation here, awesome scenes behind me despite what you described there -- the hopes and the belief of the Italian government that the worst of this eruption may be over and there may be no immediate threat to the populated.

I mean, as you can see from the images behind me -- and let me step out of the way so you can see them better -- this volcanic activity is still very much, very much under way. We are seeing large plumes of gas and ash spewing into the skies above Mount Etna.

I don't know whether you can hear also, but there are every minutes or even every few seconds thundering explosions underground that literally rock, shake the ground on which we are standing here. Molten rock is also still edging its way slowly down these southern slopes towards the populated areas in the valley.

As you said though, the Italian authorities are saying there is no immediate threat to populated areas at this stage. Emergency teams are working -- racing, they say -- against time to try and stem the flow of that lava as it approaches those populated areas. They are also on standby, they say, to evacuate any civilians, any people if the situation emerges, arises that they have to do that.

At the moment though, they are not issuing that order. They are saying that the situation is containable -- Carol.

LIN: Matthew, you are standing right there, and you were talking about of those gases being emitted. Is it dangerous for you to be breathing in all the smoky air?

CHANCE: Well, I don't think it's very good for anybody here breathing in these literally choking gases and ash, which you can smell here. The air is really thick. Just down in the town earlier today -- just a few kilometers from where I am standing now -- they are getting real fallout from this really turbulent volcano -- the streets, the pavements, every surface covered with a thick inch-wide, inch-thick deep covering blanket of thick, choking ash. It must be much worse for those people down there than it is for us up here at some altitude -- Carol.

LIN: Certainly. Thank you very much, Matthew. You still have our sympathy. Good to see you.

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