The city of Naples experienced a night of panic after an earthquake of magnitude 4.4 shook the region at 1:25 in the early hours of Thursday. According to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the epicenter of the seismic movement was located two kilometers deep off the coast of the city of Pozzuoli. It is the most intense earthquake recorded in the Phlegraean Fields in the last 40 years, comparable to the one on May 20, 2024.
The tremor was felt throughout the Neapolitan area, but the district of Bagnoli was the most affected. A woman had to be rescued by firefighters after being trapped in her home, although she did not suffer serious injuries. In addition, a false ceiling collapsed inside a house, several cars were damaged by falling debris, and some families were trapped on upper floors due to blocked doors. The earthquake also caused structural damage to the bell tower of the Church of Santa Ana.
After the strong initial tremor, the INGV detected a seismic swarm with at least six aftershocks of lesser magnitude, reaching a maximum of 1.2. During Thursday morning, firefighters responded to about 40 emergencies and still had more than 70 inspections pending. At the same time, the railway company Trenitalia reported delays on several routes, including the Naples-Salerno via Mount Vesuvius, Naples-Rome, and Cassino lines, due to technical checks on the railway infrastructure.
The earthquake in Naples caused destruction in the city. Photo: Social media.[/caption>
Impact of the earthquake
Fear led numerous residents to take to the streets, and some headed to emergency meeting points. However, moments of tension were recorded at the former NATO base in Bagnoli, where citizens forced the gates to enter with their vehicles in search of shelter. As a precautionary measure, after a meeting at the prefecture with the participation of the mayor of Naples, Gaetano Manfredi, the closure of schools was decided in the Bagnoli-Fuorigrotta district. In Pozzuoli, waiting areas were set up to provide assistance to those who chose to spend the night in their cars.
Authorities continue to monitor seismic activity in the region and call for calm while assessing damages and reinforcing safety protocols for the affected population.
Italy, a country prone to earthquakes
Italy is located over a region of medium to high seismic activity, causing the large population of the country, towns, and ancient cities to become extremely vulnerable to these episodes. This is due to the constant movement of tectonic plates, one of the main reasons why so many earthquakes occur.
In this sense, the movement of the Eurasian and African plates generates seismic and volcanic activity, leading to the presence of major and minor faults throughout the region.
According to the seismic hazard risk, Italy has a medium to high seismic hazard, including four main seismic risk zones, zone 1 having the highest seismic activity and zone 4 the lowest seismic risk.
Source: Euronews.
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