ized ▁event ▁by ▁Et na ▁standards . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 – 2 0 0 3 , ▁a ▁much ▁larger ▁er u ption ▁threw ▁up ▁a ▁huge ▁column ▁of ▁ash ▁that ▁could ▁easily ▁be ▁seen ▁from ▁space ▁and ▁fell ▁as ▁far ▁away ▁as ▁Lib ya , ▁ ▁south ▁across ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea . ▁Se ism ic ▁activity ▁in ▁this ▁er u ption ▁caused ▁the ▁eastern ▁fl anks ▁of ▁the ▁vol cano ▁to ▁s lip ▁by ▁up ▁to ▁two ▁metres , ▁and ▁many ▁houses ▁on ▁the ▁fl anks ▁of ▁the ▁vol cano ▁experienced ▁struct ural ▁damage . ▁The ▁er u ption ▁also ▁completely ▁destroyed ▁the ▁tour ist ▁station ▁P iano ▁Pro ven z ana , ▁on ▁the ▁n ort he astern ▁fl ank ▁of ▁the ▁vol cano , ▁and ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁tour ist ▁station ▁" E t na ▁Sud " ▁around ▁the ▁R if ug io ▁S ap ienza ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁fl ank . ▁Foot age ▁from ▁the ▁er u ptions ▁was ▁recorded ▁by ▁Lucas film ▁and ▁integrated ▁into ▁the ▁landscape ▁of ▁the ▁planet ▁Must af ar ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁film ▁Star ▁Wars : ▁E pisode ▁III ▁– ▁Re ven ge ▁of ▁the ▁S ith . ▁The ▁R if ug io ▁S ap ienza ▁is ▁near ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁a ▁cable ▁car ▁station ▁which ▁had ▁previously ▁been ▁destroyed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁er u ption ; ▁it ▁has ▁now ▁been ▁re built . ▁Following ▁a ▁slow ▁and ▁non - dest