- A 4.0-magnitude earthquake shook Italy‘s volcanic region of Campi Flegrei west of Naples yesterday as shocked residents posted videos of cars being pelted by rubble amid the worst of the tremors.
- 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’.
