Press
Earthquakes got people out of bed in Italy during the night. The supervolcano has once again made its voice growling.
Naples – The supervolcano beneath the Phlegraean Fields has been causing great concern in Italy for months. On Saturday night the earth shook again in the south of Italy. The Italian press speaks of a “strong shock”.
According to the Italian volcano institute INGV, the first earthquake occurred early Saturday morning at 5:44 a.m. It therefore reached a magnitude of 3.9 on the Richter scale. The German Federal Association for Geothermal Energy classifies earthquakes of this strength as “very light”. Accordingly, although they are “often noticeable”, damage to buildings is rare. In Italy itself, however, the earthquake was felt to be quite strong and caused fear among many people who were woken from their sleep by the quake.
Earthquake at Italy's supervolcano: People flee on the streets
According to the INGV, the epicenter of the earthquake was in the Gulf of Bacoli under the sea and at a depth of almost three kilometers. Nevertheless, the earthquake was clearly felt in the metropolis of Naples, which has a population of millions. According to the news agency Ansa Residents from several districts of Naples reported the tremors. The vibrations were particularly felt on the upper floors of buildings.
“I was still in bed, the building was shaking,” “Very strong shock,” and “I heard a very loud creak in the building,” the newspaper quoted La Republica some eyewitnesses. “It was strong, one of the strongest in recent months,” said Josi Gerardo Della Ragione, mayor of the coastal municipality of Bacoli, telling the newspaper. “Many people were scared” and some ran into the street to get to safety. However, no damage to people or houses is known yet.
Italy's supervolcano in the south: Second earthquake follows in the morning
According to the mayor, the earthquake is related to the bradyseism phenomenon of the Phlegraean Fields, which is causing concern under the name of supervolcano. Ultimately, this means a very slow earthquake. The magma chamber beneath the Phlegraean Fields fills and empties regularly. The circulating rock causes the entire coastal region to rise or sink. The phenomenon is typical for the region.
According to INGV, the earth shook again at 8:18 a.m. This was probably a lighter aftershock that reached a magnitude of 2.0 on the Richter scale. There had been repeated earthquakes in the region in the previous days.
#People #fear #strong #shock