Magnitude 4.7 Earthquake Shakes Naples, Injuring 26 and Causing Evacuations

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake rattled the Naples region in southern Italy on Friday evening, leaving 26 people injured and prompting the evacuation of around 300 residents. The tremor, which struck at 7:46 p.m. at a shallow depth of three kilometers, was centered in the Phlegraean Fields, an active volcanic area between Pozzuoli and Quarto, west of Naples.

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The magnitude 4.7 tremor recorded is the strongest earthquake to have occurred in the Phlegraean Fields in the last forty years.

This seismic event marks the strongest earthquake to hit the Phlegraean Fields in four decades, according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. It was followed by dozens of smaller aftershocks overnight, including one of magnitude 3.1. Italian Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci warned that the seismic activity is ongoing and urged the public to remain vigilant.

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The number of injured has been revised to 26. The seismic event, in addition to the collapse of some unoccupied buildings, has caused damage to the built environment and, for now, about 300 people have had to leave their homes.

Authorities reported that 26 people sustained injuries, with five requiring hospitalization for fractures and trauma. Damage to buildings included the collapse of some unoccupied structures, with eight buildings and five businesses declared uninhabitable. The majority of the injured were treated in Pozzuoli, the most affected locality. Evacuated families are being offered assistance with temporary housing.

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The seismic tremor series is still ongoing, and new events with a magnitude greater than 3 could therefore occur.