By Fatimah Idera
A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck a volcanic area near the southern Italian city of Naples early Thursday, damaging buildings and sending residents fleeing into the streets.
According to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the earthquake occurred at 1:25 a.m. (0025 GMT), with its epicentre near the coastal town of Pozzuoli, located west of Naples.
The quake, which was followed by several smaller tremors, was the strongest to hit the Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) area in 10 months. It had a depth of 2.5 kilometers.
This tremor was similar in magnitude to one that struck the region in May 2023, which was the strongest since the early 1980s—a period marked by a series of seismic events that caused widespread damage and panic.
Authorities confirmed that emergency teams rescued one person from the rubble of a partially collapsed house. Several aftershocks and panic-related incidents were reported in the region, intensifying concerns among residents.
Some people forced open a gate at a former NATO base in Bagnoli to seek refuge. Meanwhile, power outages were reported in parts of Naples, and many families chose to remain outdoors or in their vehicles overnight, fearing further tremors.
Earthquake History in the Naples Region
Earthquakes are relatively common in Italy. In the Naples region, the most serious in recent history was a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in November 1980 in the Irpinia area, which killed approximately 2,734 people, injured more than 8,800 individuals, and destroyed over 300 municipalities.
Authorities continue to monitor seismic activity in Campi Flegrei, a supervolcano with an extensive history of eruptions and tremors.
