Strongest earthquake in four decades strikes Campi Flegrei super volcano in Italy, causing a seismic upheaval.
Splits in walls and crumbling features were reported; Italy's Fire Department spokesperson confirmed this to CNN.
A 4.4 magnitude earthquake occurring 3 kilometers underground marks the forceful shaking in the seismically active region, based on INGV data. As part of an ongoing "seismic tempest," more than a dozen occurrences over 2.0 magnitude have arisen within the last 48 hours.
The powerful tremor at around 8:10 p.m. local time preceded a 3.5 quake an hour prior.
INGV documented 1,252 earthquakes in the Campi Flegrei district in April 2024, most with a magnitude below 1.0.
The supervolcano's last intense eruption came in 1538, which produced a new shoreline on Italy's southern coast. INGV has observed a rise in seismic activity since 2022, potentially indicating either the formation of magma beneath the surface or an accumulation of gases, per various volcanologists.
Campi Flegrei is roughly 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Mt. Vesuvius and inclined to a process known as bradyseism. This phenomenon involves periodic upwards and downwards bulges in the terrain due to pressure beneath the surface. The last major occurrence of this cycle was in 1984, but several geologists advised CNN that the area is undergoing a new bradyseism cycle.
Over 500,000 inhabitants reside in the red zone adjacent to the Campi Flegrei, per the Italian Civil Protection agency. This agency has focused on updating evacuation strategies in preparation for a major incident.
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Source: edition.cnn.com
