Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter to explore the universe and stay updated on fascinating discoveries and scientific advancements in the world. Move aside Mt. Vesuvius, Italy’s most famous active volcano that ruined Pompeii in 79 AD, the most hazardous volcanic threat in the country right now is one that you probably haven’t heard of – Campi Flegrei, or the Phlegraean Fields.
Campi Flegrei is an unimposing plain that stretches across 200 kilometers under the bay of Naples and the islands of Capri and Ischia, with a population of 800,000 people residing in the area. The last major eruption of Campi Flegrei was in 1538, and it created a new mountain in the bay. There have been seismic activities in the area since December 2022 and it has been rapidly intensifying. The region is currently in a state of positive bradyseism, experiencing a rise in earthquakes.
Experts are concerned that there is an increased risk of an eruption, mainly due to the potential intrusion of magma from the deep magma chamber. Due to the escalating seismic activity, Italy’s civil protection agency has proposed an updated evacuation plan to cope with the situation. However, many experts feel that the local population should be better prepared to deal with this situation, emphasizing the need for drilling as well as developing improved evacuation plans.
Campi Flegrei falls under the category of a supervolcano, which has had a 2,000-year record of activity. Scientists still have a very limited understanding of these natural threats and their explosive power, as the volcanic material ejected during past eruptions is a reflection of the volcano’s danger level. Furthermore, it remains unknown when, or if, Campi Flegrei will erupt again.
