European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 15, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday april 15, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 3aftershocks hit Northern Europe Bonn Germany up a aftershocks rumbled along the lower Rhine Region before Dawn tuesday 24 hours after the area was shaken by an earthquake measuring just Over 5.5 on the Richter scale seismologists said. They said a tremor of an intensity of 3.7 occurred at 3 07 . And another one measuring 2.9, was registered 29 minutes later. The first aftershock could be Felt As far As 60 Miles from the epicentre situated near the dutch Border town of Roermonde. Few people however Felt the second rumbling. Experts at the Cologne University earthquake monitoring station in Germany said that further minor tremors might happen in the next few Days. Hundreds of thousands of people Many in their pyjamas or dressing gowns had gone out into the streets in panic when the first earthquake Shook parts of Germany the Netherlands Belgium and France at 3 21 . Monday. Few people in the Region had Ever experienced an earthquake. The last quake of a similar magnitude was registered in 1756 along the lower Rhine River. About 60 people were injured by falling masonry and roof tiles. In Bonn a 79-Ycar-old woman died of a heart attack that was probably induced by the Shock. Numerous cars and buildings including Cologne s famous gothic Cathedral were damaged by the quake. Officials estimated the damage at about $61.7 million. Virtually none of the houses affected was insured against natural disasters an area that was not covered by insurance companies until this year. Stopping lava flow ranks first with Simonella by j. King Cruger Mediterranean Bureau helping italian authorities struggle to save a sicilian town of 7,000 from advancing lava from mount Etna is now the top Mission of Nas Simonella Sicily. A your commander capt. Mike Bruner told department Heads this morning that assisting the italians is our no. 1 priority. This is pretty much an All hands Effort on our part a . Navy it. Mark Mccaffrey a spokesman for the naval air station said tuesday. The base is coordinating the american Effort in the Rescue operation. Lava from the Volcano crushed two deserted farmhouses tuesday afternoon and poured Over the last earthen Barrier outside the town of Zafferano Etna. But experts saw signs that the molten Stream was slowing Down. Civil defense officials said inhabited houses were not immediately threatened and delayed evacuating any of the residents from the town High on the slopes of Europe a most Active Volcano. Franco Barberi a Volcan Logist who has been supervising attempts to slow Down the lava flow said it was t certain the lava would reach Zafferano Etna. By tuesday afternoon the lava was within a half mile of the town. On monday evening american Marine helicopters placed 8,000-Pound Concrete blocks in the lavas path in an unsuccessful attempt to divert the flow away from Zafferano Etna. A the problem they have with the 8,000-Pound blocks is that they Are too Light and Are just being swept Down with the lava flow a Mccaffrey said tuesday. A your air operations officer cmdr. John Carpenter flew Over the site yesterday and estimated the lava is flowing at 20 knots. He flew again tuesday to determine where they Are going to place additional  the Stream threatening the town has been flowing from Snow capped Etna since mid december but has picked up its Pace in recent Days. The magma flow glowing Bright red at night split into two streams after overflowing the Barrier. On monday italian army explosives experts set off about 1,300 pounds of explosives in a futile attempt to reroute the glowing steaming flow away from the heavy equipment builds up an earthen Barrier against a Stream of lava from mount Etna threatening Zafferano Etna Sicily. Community. A the italians have also blasted out a big Hole to receive the lava flow a Mccaffrey said. Italian authorities had asked the . Navy late Friday for assistance specifically to Supply enormous Concrete blocks and heavy lift helicopters to place the blocks within the flow. The Navy quickly responded by diverting some 6th Fleet ships to sicilian Waters and began mounting the Rescue operation saturday. Thirty five of the enormous Concrete blocks used As Security barriers by the Navy and dubbed Beirut busters were trucked to a site near the flow. Marine ch-53e super stallion helicopters airlifted five of those blocks about 3 feet High by 5 feet wide and placed the blocks in the flow. A four of the blocks were placed exactly where the italians wanted them dropped and authorities were very pleased with the precision with which the helps could place the Concrete barricades but they were unsuccessful in either slowing or diverting the lava flow a Mccaffrey said. A at this Point the italians have asked the . Navy to transport up the Mountain whatever Large Concrete blocks it can obtain. A the italians want to position As Many heavy objects As they possibly can in the path of the lava Ana then with Cable or chains connect All that stuff together. Obviously they will have to place this downstream from the lava a Mccaffrey said. Nearly a dozen flatbed trucks loaded with More Beirut busters plus Long Flat sections of Concrete weighing 15,000 pounds apiece left Simonella on i tuesday morning in a Convoy. A we done to have a specific plan yet. We Are taking a look at options and trying to help the italians come up with one a Mccaffrey said adding a basically the plan is to either divert the flow or to slow it to where it can Cool solidify and then form a Barrier to More lava  on the Mountain according to Mccaffrey Are marines from the 24th Marine expeditionary unit Seabee Navy construction specialists from Simonella and from naval Mobile construction in 40 on deployment to Simonella from fort hueneme Calif. And two ch-53e Supei stallion helicopters from Marine medium helicopter so 266 from the amphibious assault ship Inchon. Glowing steaming More provide Hope goods being shipped to  i he in no Ici Wmk the dated medical supplies All stockpiled Lor i Stuttgart Germany a the second phase of operation provide Hope was to begin today with the shipment of 500 pallets of goods from Pisa Italy to seven cities within the Commonwealth of Independent states the . European come said. The goods about 125 tons of food and non perishable items were to leave two warehouses in Pisa today and be taken to a local Railhead. From there the supplies will to be taken to the Northern German port of trave Munde where they will be shipped by Barge to the finnish port of Hango. The shipment will then be placed on Cis transports and delivered to the russian cities of St. Petersburg Moscow Chita ulan Ude Vor Kuta Arkhangelsk and sever Dvinsk. The goods Are the first part of what will be an 18,000-ton Supply to the former soviet Union. Supplies stored at Pir Masens Germany and Luxembourg also will be sent later. Warren Field chief of Public affairs at the . Army medical materials Center Europe in Pir Masens said 500 tons of supplies of pharmaceuticals valued at approximately $10 million would be among the supplies donated. This compares with 400 tons of medical supplies valued at $22 million that were part of provide Hope. The dated medical supplies All stockpiled Lor desert storm will be transported to Rhein main Abby the 37th transportation group and flown to the is. Bulky items with no expiration dates will be shipped by surface transportation he said. The european come announced this new phase of provide Hope last week. During the operation provide Hope Airlift in january and february More than 2,200 tons of food and Medicine were delivered to 24 cities in the Cis. This latest Effort is separate from the $24 billion Aid program being handled by the United states Japan Germany France Italy Anada anti Britain