This Europe: Can Berlusconi raise Sicily from ashes?

The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is expected to tour the disaster site around Mt Etna in Sicily today, two months after the lava from Europe's biggest active volcanoconsumed a ski resort. Earthquakes on 27 October forced more than 1,000 people to flee their homes, and a state of emergency was declared in parts of the island.

Mt Etna, vulcanologists believe, is becoming more dangerous. October's eruption buried a ski village, two hotels, two restaurants, a dozen shops and several ski hire firms. Catania, Sicily's second biggest city, has regularly been covered in ash and its airport closed. Last week, lava buried Sapienza, injuring 32 people.

Mr Berlusconi's visit to the site is symbolic. His Forza Italia party won an unprecedented clean sweep of the island's parliamentary seats in the general election 18 months ago but Sicily's economic prospects – never good – have darkened of late. Fiat has laid off workers at its Termini Imerese plant, which it has threatened to close. Etna's eruption, meanwhile, has killed off the skiing industry.

Mr Berlusconi has pledged an aid package but today the islanders will learn if he has anything else up his sleeve.