Homes were evacuated and many schools closed after a series of earthquakes struck the area around Naples in southern Italy. Over 160 tremors were recorded from Monday evening into the night. The most powerful quake, with a magnitude of 4.4, occurred at around 20:00 local time (18:00 GMT) near Pozzuoli. According to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), this was the strongest earthquake in the region in 40 years.
Gaetano Manfredi, the mayor of Naples, acknowledged the residents’ fears and assured them that officials were closely monitoring the situation. Hundreds of tents were set up in Pozzuoli, and many residents stayed on the streets through the night, while others sought shelter with relatives. Local media reported that some families were considering leaving the area due to the frequent minor quakes in recent months. One Naples resident described the tremors as unusually intense, saying, “This time it was rough, it felt like it would never end,” as reported by Il Mattino newspaper.
No significant structural damage has been reported, but some schools in Naples remained closed on Tuesday for inspections. Additionally, a women’s prison in Pozzuoli was evacuated as a precaution. Mayor Manfredi warned that more severe quakes could occur in the future and stressed the need to manage this emergency situation, which might persist for months. He urged residents to remain calm while officials continue to monitor the situation closely.
Pozzuoli is located near the Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields), a large volcanic caldera formed tens of thousands of years ago. This area, home to over 800,000 people, has experienced increased seismic activity and bradyseism, a process that alters the land’s surface height and triggers earthquakes. The INGV has stated that a Campi Flegrei eruption would require a significant accumulation of magma beneath the surface, and signs of such an event would be detectable well in advance.
The Italian government recently revised its mass evacuation plan for the “red area,” the zone most at risk in the event of an eruption. The plan involves evacuating 500,000 residents inland using buses, boats, and trains within 72 hours. However, a Pozzuoli resident reported to Italian media that there was a lack of public awareness about the evacuation plan, leading to panic during Monday’s quake. Giovanni, a local, told Il Messaggero, “People lost their minds. They started running out into the street and – most dangerous of all – they got into their cars, trying to escape. Chaos ensued.”
