Terremoto ai Campi Flegrei di 4.4, la paura dei napoletani: «È stato forte»

A new strong earthquake of magnitude 4.4 struck the Campi Flegrei area, also felt in Naples, from Fuorigrotta to the historic center and the province. The shock was recorded by the INGV at 12:07 PM at a depth of 3 km, followed shortly thereafter (at 12:22 PM) by another with a magnitude of 3.5. A true seismic swarm, with at least eight tremors in 40 minutes. Francesca Bianco, director of the INGV's volcanoes department: "What we have observed, since the magnitude 4.6 event in March, is a continuous uplift in the area; in recent weeks, the rate of uplift has decreased, but this suggests that earthquakes do not occur only due to a variation in the rate of uplift but also due to the continuous accumulation of deformation." There is great fear in the area; fear among school students, many of whom were evacuated as a precaution, as well as from offices and homes. Several residents rushed into the streets, worried, especially after the strongest tremor. "I'm on the fifth floor and I felt it," said a man. "Very strong, it seemed longer than the others, then I felt another tremor, I hope it stops," said a woman. "It was very strong, we live on the fourth floor and it was really strong." Civil Protection technicians and firefighters are carrying out structural checks to determine whether there is significant damage to buildings in all affected areas. The mayor of Bacoli, Josi Gerardo Della Ragione, said: "At the moment we have not seen any damage to property or people, but we have already activated waiting areas to assist the communities and reception areas for those who want to sleep outside their homes." Furthermore, as a precaution, the buildings of the Federico II University in the Phlegraean Fields area have been evacuated, and rail traffic in the Naples hub has been suspended.