30-06-2025
Travel disruption as earthquake hits central Italy
Travel disruption as earthquake hits central Italy
It comes as the region is in the grip of a severe heatwave
Damage caused by a 4.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Naples in March this year
An earthquake said to be the strongest in the last 40 years hit central Italy on Monday afternoon. The 4.6 magnitude earthquake was reported at 12.47pm, centred in Bacoli in Naples.
Mayor of nearby town Pozzuoli, Luigi Manzoni, said: "At the moment there are no reports of damage. The epicenter was in Bacoli but we are facing a situation to monitor hour after hour. Our volunteers are already out in town checking the situation closely."
Several smaller earthquakes were reported shortly after the main event. Local media say trains, including the subway in Naples, were suspended.
Mauro Antonio Di Vito, director of the Vesuvius Observatory of the INGV, said: "The event does not surprise us. Even after weeks of seismic silence, the rock can accumulate stress and then release energy. This is typical behaviour of the Phlegraean system.
"We cannot predict earthquakes, but today there are no signs that indicate worst-case scenarios. It is essential to communicate correctly, without fueling panic or giving false reassurances."
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Italy is currently in the grip of a severe heatwave. Lazio, Tuscany, Calabria, Puglia and Umbria were planning to ban some outdoor work activities during the hottest hours of the day in response to the record high temperatures. Italian trade unions pushed the government to expand such measures at a national level.
On Sunday, the Italian health ministry placed 21 out of 27 monitored cities under its highest heat alert, including top holiday destinations like Rome, Milan and Naples. In Rome, tourists tried to seek shade near popular spots like the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, using umbrellas and drinking from public water fountains to stay cool.
Similar scenes were reported in Milan and Naples, where street vendors sold lemonade to tourists and residents to offer some refreshment from the heat.
