Residents in fear: worst earthquake in 40 years near Naples

The earth has been rumbling in the area since Friday evening. The first earthquake reached a magnitude of 4.7 – the strongest in the area in around 40 years. Several aftershocks followed through Sunday — including one of magnitude 3.8. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) recorded a total of more than a hundred more weaker shocks.

“It felt like the apocalypse,” Rosella Rolfo, a resident in the hard-hit coastal town of Pozzuoli, told the newspaper La Repubblica. Another resident explained: “The quake was so strong and persistent that I couldn’t even open the apartment door because it was stuck.”

In global comparison, for example to Japan, the quakes themselves are not extremely strong. But the outdated infrastructure in southern Italy is significantly less earthquake-proof than modern buildings elsewhere. In addition, in Italy it is not the usual plate movements – rather, the earth is bubbling.

Boulders and debris damage buildings and cars

The authorities have not yet given the all-clear. Italy’s Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci said: “The swarm of earthquakes continues, therefore further tremors of magnitude greater than 3 may occur.”

According to the authorities, 26 people were injured. Five of them continue to be treated in hospital, two with serious injuries. According to the information, there is no danger to anyone’s life. Those affected mainly suffered bruises, broken bones and other injuries.

As with previous series of earthquakes in recent years, the towns around the Phlegraean Fields west of Naples were the strongest affected. In Pozzuoli, for example, walls and parts of facades collapsed, and tuff stone slopes also gave way to the impacts. Boulders and debris also damaged cars and buildings were damaged.

Hundreds of people evacuated

Several residential buildings were declared uninhabitable by the authorities. More than 300 people had to leave their homes and spend the last night in emergency accommodation. According to local media reports, further evacuations cannot be ruled out. “We’ve been living like this for years. It can’t go on like this,” complained an evacuated resident.

Because the recurring earthquakes around the Phlegraean Fields are actually not new for the people in the area. However, many of the residents experienced the strength of the first earthquake on Fridaystartled. It was the strongest quake since bradyseism activity increased again. These are uplifts and subsidence of the ground that are repeatedly observed in the Phlegraean Fields.

The Phlegraean Fields are an area with high volcanic activity. They have been hit by numerous small and strong earthquakes for some time. They are Europe’s largest active supervolcano. Supervolcanoes are characterized by a particularly large magma chamber and enormous violence: Unlike ordinary volcanoes, supervolcanoes literally explode.

Expert not surprised by record earthquakes

The director of the department responsible for the Phlegraean Fields at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, Lucia Pappalardo, confirmed that it was the strongest earthquake in around 40 years. She wasn’t surprised, though. “We were actually rather surprised by the relative calm of the last few weeks. An earthquake of this kind is nothing fundamentally new for us,” she told “La Repubblica”.

According to Pappalardo, the recent series of earthquakes is linked to these uplifts and subsidences of the soil of the Phlegraean Fields. She therefore expects further shocks. “In short, all the conditions for sustained earthquakes are present.” However, there are currently no signs of an impending eruption of the supervolcano.

And yet it is still a difficult situation for the residents of the area. Above all, the uncertainty as to when the next earthquake – possibly even stronger – will occur is robbing many people of sleep. “We live in constant expectation of another earthquake.”