„La terra trema“: The Earth is Shaking (again)
Again in the South of Italy … This time in the so called Campi Flegrei, where the „red zone“ had to be evacuated these days. Already in September 2023 there have been warnings from the prefect of this area because of the high risks. Initial preparations had been started, for example delivering tents for the population.
The Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) is a large caldera volcano west of Naples in southern Italy. It is part of the Campanian volcanic arc, which includes Mount Vesuvius on the east side of Naples. The Phlegraean Fields is monitored by the Vesuvius Observatory. It was declared a regional park in 2003.
There have been much discussions in recent days in Italy about the bradyseism in the Phlegraean Fields, which has undergone a surge in the rate of uplift. That has reached about 2 cm/month (the average rate up to now had been about 1 cm/month), after even having touched 3 cm/month for a few weeks.
Associated with these high velocities, as expected, seismicity has also increased, which is now practically continuous in the area even though the population only feels the strongest events.
The absolute urgency of checking and securing buildings (or evacuating them if they are dilapidated) is well known, which is also provided for by a specific law passed (but not yet carried out, or at least not completely).
The law was passed in principle (as a decree, later converted into law) in record time on 12th October of 2023, after the strong tremors of 27th September and 2nd October, which occurred shortly after a letter sent to the Prefect of Naples on 18th September 2023. Some scientists pointed out the very high seismic risk, which was imminent, and suggested ordering a blanket check of the vulnerability of all buildings in the area of maximum danger: within a radius of at least a couple of kilometres from Agnano-Solfatara-Pisciarelli.
It was also suggested, as a precaution, temporarily evacuating that area while the buildings were being checked, to prevent particularly dilapidated buildings from being exposed to possible strong earthquakes.
Already in the year 2018, when the seismicity was at a very low level, there had been warnings that, if the uplift continued, the seismicity would significantly increase, in frequency and magnitude. And when the ground level became similar to or greater than the maximum level reached in the year 1984, the seismicity would become even greater than in that period. In 1984 the entire city of Pozzuoli was evacuated, because of the continuous earthquakes and above all because of the fear of an imminent eruption of the volcano. This year, in April 2022 when earthquakes with higher magnitudes were already beginning to occur, had also been warnings for the national and local authorities to prepare the area and the citizens themselves. (Based on informations of the newspaper “Il Fatto Quotidiano”.)