Strong Earthquake Strikes Naples, Residents Flee Into Streets
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A powerful earthquake shook Naples early this morning, with the tremors distinctly felt by residents who rushed into the streets in fear.
The quake, measuring 4.4 in magnitude, struck at 1:25 AM, with its epicenter in the Campi Flegrei area. Due to its prolonged duration, the tremor was felt not only in the epicentral zone but also throughout the city of Naples.
Firefighters responded to an emergency in Bagnoli, where a false ceiling collapsed inside a home. “A person has been pulled alive from the rubble,” firefighters announced on the social media platform X, adding that rescue teams are working to determine if others remain trapped.
As aftershocks continued, many residents chose to remain outside, fearing further tremors. Social media was flooded with posts from worried citizens, many expressing concern about the remainder of the night.
Following the initial 4.4-magnitude quake, two smaller tremors were recorded: one at 1:40 AM (magnitude 1.6) and another at 1:47 AM (magnitude 1.1), both also originating in the Campi Flegrei region.
The earthquake was felt across a wide area, including neighborhoods such as Fuorigrotta and Bagnoli, as well as the town of Portici. The epicenter was located offshore, just two kilometers beneath the surface, near Via Napoli, where the municipality of Pozzuoli begins, close to the border with Naples. The nearby towns of Bacoli, Quarto, and Monte di Procida were also affected.
Pozzuoli Mayor Luigi Manzoni issued a statement confirming that a seismic swarm has been underway in the Campi Flegrei region since 1:25 AM. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
Campi Flegrei
Declared a regional park 20 years ago, the Campi Flegrei area is a highly seismic zone of supervolcanic calderas, situated to the west of Naples and about 50 kilometres from Mount Vesuvius.
The Campi Flegrei volcano last erupted in 1538 however earthquakes have been common in the area since 1950, with a surge of seismic unrest in the early 1980s.
Experts believe the recent spike in seismic activity is linked to bradyseism, a phenomenon that involves the gradual uplift or descent of part of the earth’s surface, caused by the filling or emptying of underground magma chambers or hydrothermal activity.
There are 15 towns in the Campi Felgrei area with a combined population of more than half a million people living in the so-called ‘red zone’ most at risk.
Last year the Italian government announced new measures in light of the increased seismic activity in the area, updating emergency plans for a possible mass evacuation.
