Naples Shaken by 4.4 Magnitude Earthquake at Campi Flegrei Super Volcano
A powerful 4.4 magnitude earthquake rattled Italy’s Campi Flegrei super volcano on Monday evening, causing minor damage in the town of Pozzuoli, the epicenter of the quake. The tremors were felt as far away as the city of Naples, located 20 kilometers (12 miles) away, as reported by Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).
Reports of cracks in walls and falling cornices were confirmed by Italy’s Fire Brigade spokesman to CNN, highlighting the impact of the earthquake on the region.
The earthquake, measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale and occurring at a depth of 3 kilometers, is the strongest to hit the highly seismic area in the past 40 years, according to data from the INGV. This event is part of an ongoing “seismic storm” that has seen more than a dozen seismic events above 2.0 magnitude in the last 48 hours.
The 4.4 tremor struck at 8:10 p.m. local time, following a 3.5 magnitude earthquake an hour earlier, adding to the series of seismic activities in the region.
Throughout April 2024, the INGV recorded a total of 1,252 earthquakes in the Campi Flegrei area, mostly with magnitudes below 1.0, indicating the heightened seismic activity in the region.
The Campi Flegrei super volcano last experienced a major eruption in 1538, leading to the formation of a new bay on the southern Italian coast. Since 2022, there has been an increase in seismic activity, potentially attributed to the accumulation of magma beneath the surface or the buildup of gases, according to experts.
Situated about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Mt. Vesuvius, the Campi Flegrei area is susceptible to bradyseism, a phenomenon where the ground undergoes uplift and subsidence due to subterranean pressure. While the last major cycle occurred in 1984, volcanologists have warned of a new cycle of the phenomenon in the region.
With over 500,000 residents living in the red zone adjacent to Campi Flegrei, the Italian Civil Protection agency has been actively updating evacuation plans in preparation for a potential major disaster. The region remains under close monitoring as authorities work to ensure the safety of the population. — CNN
