The Italian government is exploring the potential evacuation of tens of thousands of residents living near the Campi Flegrei supervolcano, 20 km (12.5 miles) from Naples, following over 1 100 earthquakes in the area within a month. The announcement was made on Thursday, October 5, 2023, and further measures are set to be discussed in a cabinet meeting.
The Italian cabinet is set to discuss a series of new measures designed to ensure the safety of the more than 500 000 residents in towns and villages surrounding the Campi Flegrei supervolcano. The measures include building assessments, following months of seismic activity that has featured over 1 100 earthquakes, with the strongest registering a magnitude of 4.2. This was the most powerful earthquake in the region in the last 40 years.
Experts attribute the heightened seismic activity to a geological phenomenon known as bradyseism. This is characterized by a cyclical rise or fall in the Earth’s surface due to the filling or emptying of underground magma chambers. Currently, the ground around Campi Flegrei is rising by 1.5 cm (0.6 inches) per month, sparking concerns about the structural integrity of local buildings.
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