A 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck Italy’s Campi Flegrei super volcano on Monday evening, causing minor damage in the town of Pozzuoli, the epicenter, and reaching as far as Naples, approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) away, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).
Reports from Italy’s Fire Brigade spokesman confirmed cracks in walls and falling cornices.
This 4.4 magnitude quake, occurring at a depth of 3 kilometers, is the strongest to hit this highly seismic area in the past 40 years, based on INGV data. The quake is part of an ongoing “seismic storm,” with over a dozen events exceeding a 2.0 magnitude in the past 48 hours.
An hour before the 4.4 quake, a 3.5 magnitude earthquake was recorded.
In April 2024, INGV recorded 1,252 earthquakes in the Campi Flegrei area, most with magnitudes below 1.0.
The supervolcano’s last major eruption in 1538 created a new bay on the southern Italian coast. Increased seismic activity has been noted since 2022, potentially due to magma or gas buildup under the surface, according to volcanologists.
Located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Mt. Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei is susceptible to bradyseism, a phenomenon where the ground rises and falls due to subsurface pressure. The last major bradyseism cycle occurred in 1984, but several volcanologists have indicated that the area is experiencing a new cycle.
The Italian Civil Protection agency reports that more than 500,000 people live in the red zone directly adjacent to Campi Flegrei and has been updating evacuation plans in preparation for a potential major disaster.