Residents of Naples and its surrounding areas abandoned their homes and camped out in parks and cars after a 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck near the Italian city early Thursday morning, rattling nerves after weeks of intense seismic activity.
There were several reports of homes damaged and cars hit by falling debris when the quake hit the densely populated area of Campi Flegrei, to the west of Naples, just before 1.30 a.m. local time. Fifteen people were treated in local hospitals, according to local authorities.
More than 1,813 earthquakes and tremors ranging between 0.3 and 3.9 magnitude were recorded in the area in February alone, according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).
Over the last week, nearly 300 quakes, some between 2 and 3 magnitude, have been detected.
The seismic activity is occurring across a vast caldera, formed by an eruption of the Campi Flegrei super volcano more than two million years ago. The caldera stretches 125 miles under the Bay of Naples to the city’s western limits, and out to the islands of Capri and Ischia. The most intensely affected area is the Campi Flegrei “red zone,” which is home to some 500,000 people.
The Italian Fire Brigade and Red Cross (INGV) said they assisted many people who had camped out overnight and were fearful of aftershocks. On Thursday morning, schools had been closed by local authorities.
The INGV said Thursday morning that there was no imminent risk of eruption of Mt. Vesuvius or the Campi Flegrei super volcano, which is dormant.
Mt. Vesuvius, famous for burying the city of Pompeii in 79 A.D., is not connected to the current seismic activity, the INGV said. It sits on the opposite side of Naples to Campi Flegrei.
The Campi Flegrei area is currently in a state of “positive bradyseism” – meaning the ground is slowly rising, which causes cracks in buildings and infrastructure, according to Giuseppe De Natale, a research director at the INGV in Naples.
“The shallow rocks cannot hold high levels of pressure, so if the pressure increases too much, there could happen complete fracturing of the rocks, which is generally the cause of the eruption of a volcano,” he said.
The last time the area experienced “positive bradyseism,” in 1984, the ground rose 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) before descending.
The recent increase in seismic activity has prompted some local restaurants to offer “seismic discounts” based on the magnitude of the quake (17 percent off for a 1.7 magnitude trembler).
Peppe Minieri, who owns A’ Scalinatell restaurant, told the Italian daily Corriere Della Sera that if his customers stay at their tables through the tremors, rather than running outside, they will get a free lunch or dinner.
“Obviously it’s a provocation to make light of the situation we’re experiencing,” Minieri said.
Meanwhile, there is concern for the safety of the local population, with vulcanologists warning that the “red zone” should be permanently evacuated.
The super volcano’s last eruption was in 1538, which resulted in a new bay on the coast.
While experts do not believe an eruption is imminent, the seismic swarms are worrying to locals, especially since the region has not been able to design an effective evacuation plan that would ensure the rapid escape of 500,000 people.