By In an effort to prepare for a potential mass evacuation, the Italian government is taking proactive steps to safeguard the residents living in the vicinity of the Campi Flegrei supervolcano near Naples.
The government is set to discuss new measures at an upcoming cabinet meeting, encompassing a comprehensive scheme to assess the structural integrity of buildings in the area, particularly after months of persistent seismic activity, according to an official government statement.
Campi Flegrei, also known as the Phlegraean Fields, is situated west of Naples and encompasses several towns and villages, including Pozzuoli, Agnano, and Bacoli, collectively housing over 500,000 individuals.
This caldera, characterized by 24 craters, is notably larger than the nearby Vesuvius, the volcano infamous for the destruction of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii in AD79.
Recent weeks have witnessed an escalation in seismic activity, with over 1,100 earthquakes recorded in the past month. The most recent quakes, measuring 4.0 and 4.2 magnitudes, were recorded this week, marking the most potent seismic events in the region in four decades.
Experts attribute this increased seismic activity to bradyseism, a geological phenomenon in which the earth undergoes cyclical rising and falling, associated with the filling or emptying of subterranean magma chambers.
Despite assurances from most volcanologists that an eruption is not imminent, concerns persist regarding the impact on local infrastructure, particularly with the ground currently rising at a rate of 1.5cm (0.59 inches) per month.
Addressing the potential threat, Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci emphasized that evacuations would only be initiated in cases of “extreme necessity.”
In addition to evacuation plans, the cabinet is expected to allocate additional resources to local civil protection agencies, ensuring their prompt response in emergency situations. A comprehensive communication campaign aimed at raising public awareness will also be funded, announced Musumeci.
Local reports indicate that a consortium of hospitals in the region will conduct evacuation drills starting Friday to ensure preparedness for stronger seismic events or volcanic eruptions.
Historically, Campi Flegrei experienced a comparable burst of earthquakes in the 1980s, prompting the temporary evacuation of 40,000 people from the nearby town of Pozzuoli.
The most recent significant eruption at Campi Flegrei occurred in 1538, while one of its most massive eruptions transpired 39,000 years ago, potentially contributing to the extinction of Neanderthal man, as suggested by researchers. Magma from this ancient eruption has been detected in Greenland, approximately 2,800 miles (4,500km) away.
