An earthquake rocked central Italy on Monday afternoon, causing people to pour into the streets and leaving homes ‘shaking like leaves’.
The 4.6 magnitude tremor was the most violent in the last 40 years, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
The quake reportedly struck at 12:47pm local time at a depth of about three miles.
It is believed that the 4.6 magnitude earthquake is coming as part of a series of quakes. It was followed by at least three others, of magnitude two, two, 1.6 and one.
Local media reported that the mayor of nearby town Pozzuoli, Luigi Manzoni, said that there were no incidents of damage to his down.
He said: ‘The earthquake we warned of was strong, but at the moment there are no reports of damage. The epicenter was in Bacoli but we are facing a situation to monitor hour after hour. Our volunteers are already out in town checking the situation closely.’
Mauro Antonio Di Vito, director of the Vesuvius Observatory of the INGV, said today’s quake did not surprise geologists, given that the region faced an earthquake a few weeks ago.
He said: ‘The event does not surprise us. Even after weeks of seismic silence, the rock can accumulate stress and then release energy. This is typical behaviour of the Phlegraean system.
FILE PHOTO: A general view of Pozzuoli in the Campi Flegrei, a volcanic region near Naples
He added: ‘We cannot predict earthquakes, but today there are no signs that indicate worst-case scenarios. It is essential to communicate correctly, without fueling panic or giving false reassurances.’
Italy is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, given that the country sits on two fault lines – the North-South and East-West lines.
They cross each other around the Campobasso region, and these intersecting fault lines make Italy one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.
Just a few months ago, central Italy was hit by a 4.4 magnitude quake at a shallow depth of just two miles.
This tremor was felt across Naples, and led to power across the city being cut.
More to follow.
