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An earthquake in Naples signals a potential volcanic eruption in the region as officials report increased seismic activity.
A magnitude 4.0 earthquake struck Naples on Tuesday, the second tremor in the last few days.
The latest quake came after the Italian region experienced its strongest tremor in the last four decades, as the country's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) revealed. The nation's fire brigade noted minor building damage in the latest incident but added that no people were injured.
Naples Earthquakes
Campi Flegrei, also known as the Phlegraean fields, is a volcanic area encompassing multiple ancient volcanoes that date as far back as 39,000 years ago. This year, seismic activity in the area has intensified, as the region experienced various small quakes before the two recent tremors.
The area stretches 200 kilometers under the Bay of Naples and the islands of Ischia and Capri. Campi Flegrei experiences a seismic phenomenon known as bradyseism, defined by cycles of uplift and gradual lowering of the ground, as per CNN.
The last major volcanic eruption of Campi Flegrei occurred in 1538, which led to the creation of a new mountain in the bay. So far this year, the region has logged 2,868 earthquakes, where 1,118 occurred in August alone.
On Sept. 28, the head of the INGV, Carlo Doglioni, gave testimony on the potential outcomes in front of the Italian government's Environmental Commission's lower chamber. He said there are two potential scenarios relating to the evolution of the situation in the Campi Flegrei.
Doglioni said that the best is that the ongoing bradyseism crisis ends similar to what happened from 1983 to 1984. He noted that the worst situation would be if an eruption similar to 1538 occurred in the region.
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Potential Volcanic Eruption
INGV experts issued warnings that tremors in the area could intensify in the near future as seismic activity continues to be on the rise. However, they noted that the intensity of the tremors does not immediately suggest an increased or imminent risk of a new eruption, according to the Associated Press.
A team of scientists at INGV published a study in June where they raised the possibility that the caldera's movements could rupture its crust. However, that study stressed no concrete reasons to anticipate a traditional volcanic eruption involving lava outflow.
A senior researcher at INGV, Gianfilippo De Astis, added that seismic activity has been intensifying for several months now. He added that they have continuously observed more than 3,000 tremors since the beginning of this year.
The latest quake's epicenter was located at a depth of around three kilometers between Naples and Pozzuoli. INGV Director Mario Di Vito warned that there is a possibility of tremors that have greater intensity in the future.
On the other hand, two other tremors struck northwestern Nepal on Tuesday. The quakes damaged several houses in Bajhang district, but the district's chief administrator, Narayan Pandey, noted no reports of casualties, said The Times of Israel.
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