LifestyleItaly on edge: supervolcano threat prompts mass evacuations in Naples

Italy on edge: supervolcano threat prompts mass evacuations in Naples

The Italian supervolcano has been causing concern among the authorities and residents of the region for many months. The Phlegraean Fields is a caldera beneath a gigantic lake of liquid magma. They are more afraid of earthquakes than eruptions, but experts are not ruling anything out.

"Second Vesuvius" worries Italians
"Second Vesuvius" worries Italians
Images source: © Adobe Stock

The Italian supervolcano has been making headlines since the fall, when, on September 27th last year, the strongest earthquake in 40 years was recorded in the Phlegraean Fields area (Campi Flegrei). The quake had a magnitude of 4.2 on the Richter scale and was also felt in Rome and Apulia.

Phlegraean Fields - the Italian supervolcano

The Phlegraean Fields, mentioned here, are located about 12 miles from Naples and form the caldera of the so-called supervolcano. The depression was formed due to a past explosion with a diameter of about 8 miles. The supervolcano consists of 24 craters. Beneath the caldera lies a gigantic lake of liquid magma. Pozzuoli, which has a population of over 80,000, is situated in this area.

Following the events at the end of September, experts immediately highlighted the urgent need to craft detailed evacuation plans for the people living in the affected areas.

The Italian government immediately started trial evacuations and prepared detailed evacuation plans for hundreds of thousands of residents in the southern part of the country. Although much time has passed since September, the situation is becoming increasingly tense.

For many months, seismic tremors have been occurring in this area, causing increasing concern among the population. Evacuation plans have been developed for this area, and many region residents already have a bag packed in case of sudden evacuation.

In Pompeii, thousands of people died when Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. Meanwhile, the supervolcano is much larger—due to its danger, it is often called the "second Vesuvius."

Phlegraean Fields from a bird's eye view
Phlegraean Fields from a bird's eye view© Adobe Stock

Although tremors in the region are not new, this year's increased frequency and intensity only fuel anxiety. Experts, however, reassured us that a similar increase in tremors was felt in the early 1980s, which did not lead to a volcanic eruption.

The Italian government's Department of Civil Protection emphasizes that earthquakes are a more urgent issue than eruptions and that more might occur soon.

Exercises for students

Special exercises for elementary school students in Pozzuoli occurred in April this year. Singing a song with the words "And we all go bump!" ("Tutti giù per terra"), they learned what to do in the event of an earthquake.

During the exercises, students learned that in the event of a tremor, they should quickly get under their desks, using the words of a popular children's song. Then, when the earthquake subsides, they must leave the building and go to the courtyard in an orderly manner along a designated route.

Parents were also involved in the exercises. They had to reach the school as quickly as possible on foot. This ensures that cars do not block the streets, which must be passable for emergency services.

Our "grandchild" method, near Naples "Phlegraean Fields" method

In the Campi Flegrei area, scammers exploit the population's fear of the supervolcano. They pose as technicians checking the condition of buildings before a possible stronger earthquake.

Local authorities emphasize that no such inspections are conducted and that such individuals should not be allowed into homes under any circumstances but should immediately call the police.

Source: La Stampa, PAP, dw.com

Related content

We value your privacy

essanews.com is a part of Wirtualna Polska media company. Click "I ACCEPT AND GO TO THE WEBSITE" to give your consent to the use of automated technologies to collect and use data on the Internet, and to the processing of your personal data by Wirtualna Polska, IAB Trusted Partners (878 partners) and other Trusted Partners (405 partners), and to our sharing with the aforementioned Trusted Partners of the identifiers assigned to you for marketing purposes (including for automated matching of advertisements to your interests and for measuring their effectiveness) and for other purposes that we specify below. You can also make decisions about permissions in the Advanced settings.


Based on your consent, Wirtualna Polska, IAB Trusted Partners and other Trusted Partners will process your personal data collected on the Internet (including on e-commerce partners' websites), including through forms, such as IP addresses, your device identifiers and cookie identifiers, and other identifiers assigned to you and information about your activity on the Internet. The data will be processed for the following purpose: to store or access information on a device, use limited data to select advertising, create profiles for personalized advertising, use profiles to select personalized advertising, create profiles related to personalize content, use profiles to select personalized content, measure advertising performance, measure content performance, understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources, develop and improve services, use limited data to select content.


Within the framework of its functions and special functions, Wirtualna Polska may take the following actions:

  1. Match and combine data from other data sources
  2. Link different devices
  3. Identify devices based on information transmitted automatically
  4. Actively scan device characteristics for identification

The purposes of processing of your data by IAB Trusted Partners and other Trusted Partners are as follows:

  1. Store and/or access information on a device
  2. Use limited data to select advertising
  3. Create profiles for personalised advertising
  4. Use profiles to select personalised advertising
  5. Create profiles to personalise content
  6. Use profiles to select personalised content
  7. Measure advertising performance
  8. Measure content performance
  9. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources
  10. Develop and improve services
  11. Use limited data to select content
  12. Ensure security, prevent and detect fraud, and fix errors
  13. Deliver and present advertising and content
  14. Save and communicate privacy choices

Within the framework of the functions and special functions, our IAB Trusted Partners and Trusted Partners may take the following actions:

  1. Match and combine data from other data sources
  2. Link different devices
  3. Identify devices based on information transmitted automatically
  4. Actively scan device characteristics for identification

In order to take the above action, our IAB Trusted Partners and other Trusted Partners also need your consent, which you can give by clicking "I ACCEPT AND GO TO THE WEBSITE" or make a decision regarding the consent in Advanced settings.


The purposes of processing your data without a need to obtain your consent based on the legitimate interest of Wirtualna Polska and IAB Trusted Partners are stated, and the option to object to the processing, is available in Advanced settings.


The purposes, special purposes, features and special features of the data processing are described in detail in the Advanced Settings.


Here you can find the websites of our e-commerce partners, from which we may process your personal data on the basis of your consent.


The consent is voluntary and you can withdraw it at any time after reopening the settings window by clicking on the "Privacy Settings" link located in the footer of each website.


Please note that by giving your consent, your data may be transferred to our Trusted Partners in third countries, i.e. countries outside the European Economic Area.


You have the right to request access, rectification, deletion, restriction, transfer of data processing, file an objection, file a complaint with the regulatory authority under the terms of the Privacy Policy.


To change your privacy preferences, you can click on the Advanced Settings or "Privacy Settings" link located in the footer of each website where you can provide or withdraw consent or otherwise manage your choices. Detailed information about the processing of your personal data can be found in the privacy policy.