lish ▁a ▁long ▁la va ▁t ube . ▁Short ly ▁after ▁the ▁bl ast ing , ▁the ▁rate ▁of ▁la va ▁emission ▁dropped , ▁and ▁during ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁er u ption ▁( until ▁ 3 0 ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 3 ) ▁the ▁la va ▁never ▁advanced ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁again . ▁ ▁Following ▁six ▁years ▁( 1 9 9 5 – 2 0 0 1 ) ▁of ▁unus ually ▁inten se ▁activity ▁at ▁the ▁four ▁sum mit ▁cr aters ▁of ▁Et na , ▁the ▁vol cano ▁produced ▁its ▁first ▁fl ank ▁er u ption ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 1 – 1 9 9 3 ▁in ▁July – August ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁This ▁er u ption , ▁which ▁involved ▁activity ▁from ▁seven ▁distinct ▁er upt ive ▁f iss ures ▁mostly ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁slope ▁of ▁the ▁vol cano , ▁was ▁a ▁mass - media ▁er u ption ▁because ▁it ▁occurred ▁at ▁the ▁height ▁of ▁the ▁tour ist ▁season ▁and ▁numerous ▁rep or ters ▁and ▁journal ists ▁were ▁already ▁in ▁Italy ▁to ▁cover ▁the ▁G 8 ▁sum mit ▁in ▁Gen oa . ▁It ▁also ▁occurred ▁close ▁to ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁tour ist ▁areas ▁on ▁the ▁vol cano , ▁and ▁thus ▁was ▁easily ▁accessible . ▁Part ▁of ▁the ▁" E t na ▁Sud " ▁tour ist ▁area , ▁including ▁the ▁arrival ▁station ▁of ▁the ▁Et na ▁cable ▁car , ▁were ▁dam aged ▁by ▁this ▁er u ption , ▁which ▁otherwise ▁was ▁a ▁rather ▁mod est - s