The supervolcano near Naples is more active than it has been for decades. There were over 70 tremors within 24 hours, 14 of which were clearly noticeable. Even professional football was affected.
Update from Monday, April 15, 2024, 10:03 a.m.:
After there were dozens of tremors in the Naples region of Italy on Sunday (April 14), the earth continues to shake on Monday. As the Italian news portal
rainews.it
reports, there was an earthquake of magnitude 1.9 in the Phlegraean Fields (Campi Flegrei) at 7:10 a.m. There are more than 50 eruption sources in the region, and experts fear an eruption of the supervolcano near Naples. Since Sunday alone, around 90 earthquakes have been recorded there, some of which were felt as far as the western districts of Naples.
First report from Sunday, April 14th, 4:26 p.m.:
Pozzuoli/Naples - Since last summer, the supervolcano of the Phlegraean Fields in southern Italy has become more active than it has been since the 1980s, as the city feared an eruption was evacuated. Experts warn of a new outbreak. On Sunday (April 14), activity reached a new peak.
“A morning of fear in Pozzuoli and throughout the Phlegraean area”
For days now, swarms of earthquakes have been driving people onto the streets in panic, even at night. On Saturday afternoon, a magnitude 2.4 shock startled the approximately 400,000 residents of the red zone of the supervolcano. It wasn't quiet at night either, but initially there were only slight tremors. What followed was a “morning of fear in Pozzuoli and throughout the Phlegraean area due to the appearance of a seismic swarm,” writes the
pozzuolinews24.it
portal about what followed from 9:41 a.m.
The first tremor had “only” an amplitude of 1.5, three minutes later there was a violent shock with a magnitude of 3.7, which people in the neighboring city of Naples also clearly noticed. “The earthquake was clearly felt by the population, with many citizens reporting trembling beds and dishes, as well as trembling windows and walls,” reports the newspaper
iilmeridianonews.it
. However, no serious damage or injuries were reported.
Residents report loud roars from the volcano
And again, many citizens reported a loud roar, which experts explain by the fact that the ground of the Phlegraean Fields functions like a gigantic loudspeaker that the earthquake waves cause to vibrate, which in turn creates sound waves. This was quickly followed by six more shocks of magnitudes 2 - 1.6 - 3.1 - 1.6 and 1.5 within three minutes. At ten o'clock another series of shocks of magnitude 2.3 to 3 occurred within seven minutes. During the strong shocks, the earth always shook with lighter shocks. There is also talk of the smell of sulfur.
This time the epicenters were again in the area of the legendary Solfatara crater near Pozzuoli. Even as residents once again flee their homes into the streets, Pozzuoli Mayor Enzo Buono asks people to avoid panic: “I know that the earthquakes have scared you, but I ask you to remain calm.” , writes the city leader on Facebook.
Politicians ask citizens to avoid panic - residents set up pavilions outside
The newspaper
il Mattino
spoke to residents of Pozzuoli: “I saw the parked cars swaying,” says a parking attendant on duty in the fish market parking lot. “Everything was shaking, I had never heard of a shocking event of this intensity before,” explained some fishermen. “The doors and windows didn’t stop opening and slamming,” adds a resident of Via Napoli, saying: “After the first strong shock, we all ran into the street.”
The newspaper also reports “fear also in the heart of Naples in neighborhoods such as Vomero, Chiaia and Fuorigrotta, Pianura, Soccavo”. The western districts of Naples are already in the red zone of the supervolcano, but the quakes were apparently felt throughout the entire city. In the Agnano district, which is next to the Solfatara crater, a resident says: "The earth is vibrating continuously after the earthquake at 9:44 a.m., we can't take it anymore."
The administrators of the Facebook page “Those in the Red Zone” advised citizens: “The seismic swarm is still underway and people living near the epicenters should wait outside until the swarm stops.” Because even at noon and in the afternoon the tremors continued, although with less intensity. Those who are able should set up pavilions to protect themselves from the sun, it said. “And take water and toiletries with you.”
Professional football also felt the effects of the series of quakes in southern Italy
Football fans were also affected by the quake. According to
fanpage.it,
the gates of the Diego Maradona Stadium opened later than usual. Earthquake engineers carried out a static inspection of the stadium, located in the western district of Fuorigrotta, which is already on the edge of the Phlegraean Fields. SSV Napoli's Serie A game against Calcio Frosinone was scheduled to begin there at 12 p.m.
According to
fanpage.it,
the protocol requires checking after an earthquake. The gates of the Maradona Stadium were scheduled to open at 10 a.m., but there was a delay of several minutes due to static controls. Apparently no damage was found and the championship game was played regularly. There was a draw and the game ended 2-2.
Experts attribute the relatively shallow earthquakes around Pozzuoli and the Solfatara crater to thermal water that heats and evaporates a bubble of magma at a greater depth. The steam therefore finds its way to the surface under high pressure. However, some experts suspect that rising magma directly generates the pressure. The ground level around Pozzuoli has risen by over 1.12 meters since 2011. In the past few days there had also been several tremors in the sea in the Bay of Pozzuoli at greater depths, which fueled fears of a tsunami.