- A 4.7-magnitude earthquake hit near Naples at 7.46pm on Friday night, damaging buildings and a pier in Campi Flegrei; the 3km-deep quake was part of an ongoing seismic swarm and was felt across Naples, Ischia, and the Sorrento peninsula.
- At least 21 people were injured, two critically, and more than 250 people were evacuated; one person was only “alive by a miracle,” a rescuer told Reuters.
- The quake was the strongest tremor to hit the region in the past 40 years, caused part of a cliff to collapse, and was followed by about 60 more tremors, including a 3.1-magnitude quake.
- The heaviest damage was reported in Pozzuoli, near the epicentre, where a building partially collapsed and rubble crushed parked cars; nine buildings have been deemed unsafe.
- Firefighters reported lifts being stuck and a high-voltage pylon partially collapsing, causing disruption for 100,000 households.
- The Pozzuoli pier was unusable, ferry and hydrofoil services were suspended, and high-speed train passengers faced delays of up to six hours.
- A rescuer warned that the mountain could continue to collapse, called the situation foreseeable, and said the municipality “knew about the situation and did nothing.”
- Many residents stayed on the streets for fear of collapsing buildings; one resident said they were left in the middle of the street with very young children and “no longer know what we are supposed to do.”
At least 21 people were injured after a magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck near Naples, Italy, on Friday night, part of an ongoing seismic swarm. The quake, occurring at 7.46pm, had a depth of 3km and was felt across Naples and the island of Ischia.123
The tremor is the strongest to hit the region in 40 years, leading to significant damage, including power outages and disrupted public transport. More than 250 residents were evacuated from their homes, with reports of at least two individuals in critical condition. One rescuer noted that “one person was only alive by a miracle.”
The quake caused part of a cliff to collapse, and seismographs registered about 60 aftershocks, including a 3.1-magnitude tremor felt early Saturday morning. “There is a risk that the mountain could continue to collapse, so it is dangerous,” a rescuer warned, criticizing local authorities for not addressing the situation sooner.7814
The heaviest damage was reported in Pozzuoli, where a building partially collapsed, crushing parked cars but causing no injuries. Nine buildings have been deemed unsafe as inspections continue, and many residents spent the night on the streets, fearing further collapses. “We were afraid,” one resident said, expressing frustration over the lack of guidance from authorities.910
Firefighters reported stuck lifts and a partially collapsed high-voltage pylon, affecting 100,000 households. The port authority declared the Pozzuoli pier unusable, suspending ferry services, while high-speed train passengers faced delays of up to six hours.111213
“At least 21 people are injured, two critically, and more than 250 have been evacuated; nine buildings have been deemed unsafe. A rescuer told Reuters one person was “alive by a miracle,” adding that the municipality knew about the mountain’s instability for a year and a half and did nothing.”
The Guardian
