TOURISTS IN WAY OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AT ITALY’S ACTIVE VOLCANO

Italy’s snow-capped mountains have seen some action this week and it’s not been of the snowy kind of action.

Mount Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanos and Europe’s highest, have been threatening to erupt all week long. And tourists have been flocking to witness it.

But, the sudden increase in visitors has caused havoc for emergency workers as they warn that people close to the volcano might be at risk.

Salvo Cocina, head of Sicily’s regional Civil Protection agency, said that even though the tourists are accompanied by alpine and volcanological guides, “there is also a constant influx of thousands of people, wildly parking and hiking up the edge of narrow roads, blocking the circulation of rescue vehicles”.

Rescue workers have to be on site with 4x4 ambulances and other other-road vehicles to assist the rescue workers who work on the volcano as well as the authorised guides who take people up the mountain.

Earlier this week, a group of people without a guide, had to be rescued after they got lost. The eight people were attempting to hike up the mountain.

Also this week, a 48-year-old man broke his foot after he fell on ice.

Image credit: News10ABC