Earthquake at Campi Flegrei, is an eruption imminent?
4.4 magnitude earthquake in Naples and in the Campi Flegrei: doubts increase about an imminent eruption
NAPLES – After the strong earthquake recorded yesterday evening in Naples and in the Campi Flegrei with a magnitude of 4.4, the seismic swarm is continuing: from 7.51pm yesterday 200 earthquakes were recorded and many people were registered last night they preferred to sleep in the tent cities set up by the Civil Protection or in the car. There are also many doubts regarding an imminent eruption of the Solfatara volcano. The answer is Andrea Moccia, geologist and founder of GeoPop: “First of all let’s say that 4.4 is the highest magnitude ever recorded in the area in the instrumental era, that is, since we have been recording earthquakes From the point from a tectonic-structural point of view, it is not a very strong magnitude in absolute terms, because earthquakes linked to the movement of faults are considered ‘strong’ if they exceed magnitude 5.0 or 6.0″.
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And he continues: “A magnitude of 4.4 for this type of earthquake is therefore very strong and even in the archives the maximum recorded is equal to 4.12 in 1996. So that of 4.4 is a very important shock even if this does not it means that there is an imminent eruption. We realize that there is a certain situation of anxiety but it is not necessarily the case that something is happening. Especially in these moments, rationality and listening to the institutions are necessary”.
When was the last eruption of the Campi Flegrei and what should we expect? “In 1538 there was the last eruption, not catastrophic but of medium-small size – says the geologist – To date therefore we do not have the information to say what will happen. Surely what we can say is that the the territory is monitored with technologies and skills – perhaps the best in the world – and official data must always be followed. So the first thing we do is see what INGV says because they are the primary source of information, they are them. that record earthquakes”.