Italy's Campi Flegrei Could Be Reawakening As Seismic Activity Has Intensified, Experts Warn

Experts said that Campi Flegrei, which is located in Italy, could be reawakening as seismic activities in the area has intensified.

Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) said that the last major eruption of Campi Flegrei was in 153.

This eruption later on created a new mountain in the bay.

(Photo : Getty Images/ALBERTO PIZZOLI)

Intensifyinh Seismic Activities

Experts said that seismic activities in the area has been intensifying since December 2022 and they warned that the volcano could be reawakening after generations of being in a restive mode.

On November 7, it was reported that the level of alert in the volcanic Campi Flegrei area near Naples currently affected by bradyseism, or ground uplift, would remain at yellow, according to Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci.

Musumeci said that the national commission for major risks has maintained that the earthquake is evolving, prompting the raising of the yellow alert.

Authorities stressed that it is necessary to prepare for the possible need to quickly move towards a higher level of alert than yellow in the area known as the Phlegrean Fields, where recent big seismic activity has led to fears of harm to people and property.

Experts noted that the densely populated region, which is less than 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Vesuvius, is prone to bradyseism, which is defined by cycles of uplift and gradual lowering of the ground.

The last time the region saw such seismic activity was in 1984 when the ground rose 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) before it began a slow descent accompanied by seismic activity that is similar to what is presently happening in the area.

The entire volcanic zone has also been experiencing a surge in earthquakes that has rattled nerves and force residents to seek safety into the streets.

Experts pointed out that the local population should be better prepared so that they may cope with the seismic activities and the possibility of an eruption.

Reawakening Supervolcano?

A supervolcano could be distinguished from an ordinary volcano through the amount of volcanic material that they had ejected during previous eruptions.

Experts said that a supervolcano is one that has ejected more than 240 cubic miles of material and reached a level 8 - the highest threat - on the Volcano Explosivity Index or VEI, according to the US Geological Survey.

A previous study said that a rupturing sequence has been developing across four episodes of ground uplift at Italy's Campi Flegrei caldera: in 1950-1952, 1969-1972, 1982-1984 and since 2004.

Researchers have predicted in 2016 that the approach to rupture would continue after an additional uplift of 30-40 cm at the location of largest movement.

They have updated their analysis with new data on changes in the numbers of local earthquakes with amounts of ground movement.

About 12-15 km across, Campi Flegrei is the largest active caldera in Europe and extends west from the outskirts of Naples to the Tyrrhenian Sea.

About a third is partially submerged beneath the Bay of Pozzuoli; the remaining two-thirds are home to more than 360,000 people.

Experts said that the volcano has been restless since 1950.

It last erupted in 1538 after an interval of about 3000 years. Previous intervals have been as short as decades or centuries, meaning a return to eruption after nearly 500 years is a realistic possibility.