Powerful Earthquake Rattles Italian City of Naples

🌀 A horror earthquake struck the city of Naples just hours before a Champions League game between Napoli and Real Madrid.

Strong earthquake in the Campi Flegrei at 10.08pm on 2 October 2023, also felt in Naples. Magnitude 4.0 Richter. The earthquake was also strongly felt in Naples. The quake occurred at a depth of only 2.6 kilometers , therefore very superficial and strongly felt. The first images of collapses and damage arrive on social media, especially due to the collapse of some rubble along the roads near the epicenter in the Bagnoli and Agnano areas.

Although the quake did not result in any injuries or major damage according to Italy's civil protection agency, it caused panic among residents who spilled out into the streets amid fears the tremors could be the prelude to a volcanic eruption.

The area around the Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) volcano, which last erupted in 1538, has been the scene of increased seismic activity in recent days with a series of tremors.

Some half a million people live in the regions around Campi Flegrei and would be in grave danger in the event of an eruption.

It comes as a joint study by Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) and University College London (UCL) found in June that the volcano was edging towards 'breaking point' and in an 'extremely dangerous state'.

On Wednesday, a 4.2-magnitude quake was recorded, the strongest the area has seen in 40 years, which was felt as far away as Rome.