Reports of increased seismic activity in the area west of Naples have raised concerns about a potential mass evacuation being ordered by the government. According to CNN, a 4.0-magnitude earthquake occurred in the region on Tuesday, following a 4.2 quake last week that was the strongest in 40 years, as reported by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology—INGV. The densely populated Campi Flegrei area, also known as the Phlegraean Fields, has experienced numerous smaller tremors in recent weeks. While some buildings have been damaged, no deaths or serious injuries have been reported.
Gianfilippo De Astis, a senior researcher at INGV, stated that seismic activity has been increasing for months. He reported observing over 3,000 tremors since the beginning of 2023, with only 65 above a 2.0 magnitude. Campi Flegrei is home to the largest caldera in Europe, the remnants of a supervolcano eruption 39,000 years ago that may have contributed to the extinction of the Neanderthals. The most recent eruption in the area occurred in 1538. De Astis mentioned that “bradyseism,” the rising and falling of the ground level, has been occurring for thousands of years and there are no indications of an imminent eruption. Sandro De Vita, another volcanologist at INGV, reassured the public, saying, “People should not be afraid. Or rather, they should be, but only when we say so.”
Authorities are currently updating emergency plans that may require the evacuation of up to 500,000 individuals. AFP interviewed Alfredo Colato, a 62-year-old resident of the region, who expressed constant anxiety and fear about potentially being forced to relocate long-term. Colato shared childhood memories of cooking eggs in a volcanic field and revealed that he has an emergency bag ready, but the thought of leaving his home would “kill me twice.” Felice Galloro, a 78-year-old resident, disclosed that some individuals have chosen not to report damage to their homes out of fear of having to leave. (Read more Italy stories.)
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