From Multi-Hazard to Multi-Risk at Mount Etna: Approaches and Strategies of the PANACEA Project

Managing multiple hazards simultaneously affecting a territory is a challenge for effective risk mitigation. This is particularly true on active volcanoes like Mt. Etna, characterized by effusive and explosive eruptions, often coupled with intense seismic activity. This work presents the PANACEA project’s approach to treating multi-hazards in terms of risk, which requires a common definition of the exposed elements and their vulnerability. Another aspect emerging from the recent and historical volcanic crises at Etna is the cascading effects and the problem of assessing their short-term interactions. A risk model is presented considering a set of sequences of hazardous events that may result from volcano unrest to possible impacts on some infrastructural elements. The project’s outcomes are intended to be a significant step toward a more comprehensive resilience to volcanic disasters, leading to a safer society.