Mascali, Mount Etna region Sicily: An example of fascist planning during the 1928 eruption and its continuing legacy

The 1928 eruption of Etna, Sicily, although the largest such event this cen tury, has not been studied in detail. In this paper the nature of the erupt ion, the destruction it caused - including the complete devastation of the town of Mascali (pre-eruption population similar to 2,000) - and emergency responses of the authorities to it are reviewed in the context of fascist p olitics and planning priorities. It is contended that, although at one leve l the response to the 1928 eruption was successful, at another fascism mere ly continued and enhanced a reactive, propitiatory approach to hazard mitig ation. We argue that this legacy was not successfully overcome until the mi ddle of the nineteen eighties. Finally contemporary Italian moves towards a more proactive approach to disaster planning, both generally and in the co ntext of Etna, are discussed.