Earthquake nightmare in Pozzuoli: hundreds now homeless

Pozzuoli, Italy, is assessing damage after a night of fear and a seismic swarm that registered over 170 tremors, including a magnitude 4.7 quake – the strongest in four decades. The event left 26 people injured, with five remaining hospitalized, though none are in life-threatening condition. Authorities report approximately 300 residents have been displaced, a number expected to rise.

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The seismic event – beyond the collapse of some uninhabited buildings, has caused damage to structures and at the moment there are about 300 people who have had to leave their homes, and it is not excluded that they may increase.

Fabio Ciciliano, head of the Civil Protection Department, stated that the seismic event caused damage to structures and led to the evacuation of some uninhabited buildings. Many residents who returned home are doing so with apprehension, as seismic activity continued, particularly in the morning with two distinct tremors around dawn. The community's plea is for clear directives: "They must tell us if we should stay here safely or if we need to leave, but with permanent accommodation."

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They must tell us if we should stay here safely or if we need to leave, but with permanent accommodation.

Despite the significant magnitude, scientists note this earthquake is part of the ongoing situation in the Campi Flegrei volcanic area. The director of the Vesuvius Observatory, Lucia Pappalardo, confirmed the event falls within this context. However, Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci cautioned that the seismic swarm is ongoing, and further events exceeding magnitude 3 are possible. Eight buildings and five businesses have been declared unusable, with 150 families evacuated and housed in facilities provided by the municipalities of Naples and Pozzuoli.

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This earthquake falls within the framework relating to the situation in the Campi Flegrei area.