"Research is powerless"

Naples on edge: the number of quakes is soaring

The Phlegraean Fields - the number of earthquakes has recently risen sharply.

(Bild: AFP)

The Phlegraean Fields in Italy simply cannot rest. Once again, a quake woke the residents of Naples and the surrounding area from their sleep at night. The number of quakes has recently risen sharply. The "Krone" spoke to a Viennese geologist: "Science is powerless. Now it's up to the politicians!"

Schools and public facilities in Pozzuoli and Bacoli and other affected communities remained closed on Tuesday. First, structural engineers want to make sure that there is no risk of collapse after an earthquake the night before.

It was 3.58 a.m. when earth tremors with a magnitude of 3.4 shook the region around the Phlegraean Fields. They abruptly woke many residents of Naples and the surrounding area from their sleep. Especially in the districts of Bagnoli and Fuorigrotta as well as on the island of Procida, people ran out onto the streets in panic and spent the rest of the night outdoors.

The Phlegraean Fields - the number of quakes has risen sharply recently.

(Bild: AFP)

The epicentre was in the sea off Arco Felice - at a depth of almost three kilometers. A few hours earlier - at 9.30 p.m. and 7.29 p.m. - weaker quakes of magnitude 1.8 and 1.3 had already been registered in the area. They occur when the earth's crust expands due to the pressure of rising magma and eventually ruptures.

(Bild: AP)

"We are currently experiencing a higher level of activity than we have seen for a long time," explains Robert Supper, Head of the Federal Geological Institute in Vienna. "But it is difficult to predict how it will continue in the coming months."

He explained that he had already carried out measurements in the region and flown over the area with a helicopter: "I saw a lot of black structures during my overflights, which further complicates the situation." This is because he sees the greatest danger in the statics of the buildings. "If magma pushes upwards, the ground can rise by up to two meters. This is devastating for such buildings," says Supper.

Political representatives in Italy, including the Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policy, Nello Musumeci, met at a crisis summit to discuss the necessary measures and the possible use of the so-called Sisma Bonus. This is a tax incentive that allows taxpayers to deduct part of the expenses for earthquake protection measures on buildings.

"Above all, it is politicians who must now act, not scientists," emphasizes Supper. "We can do nothing but measure." But even that is hardly possible due to the dense development. Nevertheless, some schools have already been relocated from endangered areas.