A 4.7-magnitude earthquake struck the Campi Flegrei area near Naples in southern Italy at 7.46pm on Friday. The event caused immediate power failures, structural damage to buildings, and the collapse of a pier located near Europe’s largest volcanic crater. The region remains on edge as aftershocks and concerns over further instability continue to mount.
The cliff and the miracle
The quake’s force triggered a partial cliff collapse, and rescuers described one individual as “alive by a miracle.” By Saturday morning, more than 250 people had left their homes for safety, with many choosing to remain outside, fearing another tremor could cause further building failures. In Pozzuoli, near the epicenter, a residential building partially collapsed, crushing several parked cars but not causing injuries. Nine other structures were found to be unsafe and closed for inspection, as experts assess the ongoing risks.
Seismic swarm continues
This tremor was the strongest to hit the area in over four decades. With a shallow depth of 3km, it was felt widely, reaching as far as the island of Ischia and the Sorrento peninsula. After the initial quake, seismographs logged approximately 60 additional tremors. A notable 3.1-magnitude aftershock occurred at 5.47am on Saturday, felt in Bacoli, Pozzuoli, and Naples. A rescuer expressed concern that the mountain could continue to collapse. They said, “There is a risk that the mountain could continue to collapse, so it is dangerous. What makes us angry is that this situation was foreseeable, because there had already been problems with the mountain for a year and a half... The municipality knew about the situation and did nothing – perhaps if they had acted sooner, this could have been avoided.”
In the Agnano district of Naples, a high-voltage pylon partially collapsed, causing power cuts for 100,000 homes. High-speed train passengers faced delays of up to six hours, with some trains rerouted entirely due to infrastructure concerns.
The fear is still here
A local resident shared their experience: “We were afraid. We are here with very young children.” Many evacuees remained in the streets overnight with no clear guidance on what would happen next. Public transport in Naples remained disrupted as authorities worked to assess the damage and manage the ongoing tremors. Fear lingers, with residents uncertain about their safety or when life might return to normal.