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Local Italy
18-07-2025
- Science
- Local Italy
Naples residents left shaken by 'terrifying' 4.0-magnitude quake
The quake struck the area at 9.14am, according to Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). Its epicentre was located just west of Naples' Bagnoli district, at a depth of three kilometres, the INGV said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries following the quake, according to Italian media reports. Italy's Civil Protection Agency said on social media platform X that initial checks conducted by officers on the ground didn't flag any damage to local infrastructure. The quake rattled Naples' city centre, causing residents to run into the streets, La Repubblica reported. One resident of Fuorigrotta, a district west of Naples' city centre, said the tremor 'was terrifying'. 'I'm still shaking, we felt it really strongly here in Vomero,' said another resident. reported. according to La Repubblica. High-speed, intercity and regional rail services operated by Trenitalia were also temporarily suspended on Friday morning. Trenitalia said in an statement at 10.45am that traffic was gradually resuming, but warned of potential cancellations and delays "of up to 90 minutes". The Campi Flegrei area, which lies just west of Naples, has experienced strong seismic activity in recent months. It was rocked by a 4.6-magnitude quake on June 30th and by a 4.4 quake on May 13th. The region, which is home to around half a million people, is a volcanic caldera – a large, basin-like depression that forms when a volcano collapses into itself following a major eruption. The last volcanic eruption in the area occurred in 1538. Experts have said that seismic activity across the Campi Flegrei is linked to a phenomenon known as 'bradyseism' – the slow, vertical movement of the Earth's surface due to changes in the volume of magma and hot gases lying underneath. A marked increase in the frequency and intensity of seismic events has raised fears among residents of an imminent volcanic eruption – but Italian scientists have said that this is unlikely in the near future. Mauro Antonio Di Vito, director of the INGV's Vesuvius Observatory, told La Repubblica that Friday's quake was part of an "ongoing bradyseismic crisis that began in 2005". The tremor was a "result of the ground uplift process, which stresses the [Earth's] crust and consequently causes earthquakes,' he added. Francesca Bianco, the head of the INGV's Volcanology Department, also noted that bradyseism was "the engine" of the quakes recently recorded in the Campi Flegrei. "As long as bradyseism continues, we should expect tremors and seismic swarms,' she added.
Wales Online
30-06-2025
- Climate
- Wales Online
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." Article continues below 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.
