The strongest earthquake in recent years struck near Naples
On the evening of July 31, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.7 struck near Naples, making it the strongest in the region in recent years. At least 21 people were injured in the quake, two of whom are in serious condition.
The main tremor occurred at 7:46 p.m. local time.
Residents of Pozzuoli felt it most strongly, though tremors were also recorded in Naples. Following the main quake, seismologists recorded about 30 aftershocks, the strongest of which had a magnitude of 3.8.
Due to the threat of further tremors, residents of Pozzuoli fled their homes en masse, and many people decided to spend the night outdoors.
As a result of the earthquake, part of the wall of one of the residential buildings collapsed, and large debris damaged parked cars. Numerous instances of eaves collapsing, plaster falling off, and cracks in building facades were also reported. Despite the damage, no fatalities have been reported.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is monitoring the situation. Fabio Cicilliano, head of the Civil Protection Department, convened a crisis management team to coordinate the rescue operation.
A temporary shelter with 185 beds has been opened in Pozzuoli for residents who cannot return to their homes.
In addition, train service at the Naples railway hub has been temporarily suspended due to the earthquake, particularly on high-speed lines. Inspections of the infrastructure are currently underway; once completed, service will resume provided the infrastructure is confirmed to be safe.
This was reported by Ansa.
As a reminder, the death toll from the powerful earthquake in southwestern Japan has risen to 13. The 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck yesterday in Kumamoto Prefecture.
