Pozzuoli, a picturesque town in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy, is steeped in a rich tapestry of history that dates back to its founding as the Greek colony of Dicaearchia around 531 BC. Over the centuries, it has been touched by the hands of Greeks, Samnites, and Romans, each leaving their indelible mark on its cultural and architectural heritage.The town, nestled in the Phlegrean Peninsula, boasts of ancient ruins like the Flavian Amphitheatre, the third-largest in Italy, and the Macellum, known as the Temple of Serapis, which stands as a testament to its ancient marketplaces and bustling trade.
However, Pozzuoli is not just known for its historical significance. It sits atop a restless piece of Earth. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Pozzuoli has felt over 2,500 tremors since August 2023. However, the occurrence of a 4.2 magnitude tremor on September 27, the most powerful quake to shake the volcanic field in over four decades, has ignited concerns among experts that a “seismic crisis” could be unfolding, marking the first such event since the early 1980s.
The big tremor, while not resulting in any major structural harm, along with roughly 2,500 lesser quakes since August, have left locals, including Annamaria Scardi, a mother of two teens, feeling on edge. In Pozzuoli, conversations in stores and cafés have shifted from the usual topics of football and politics to the palpable fear among the populace, stirred by a supervolcano that has triggered a series of earthquakes.
“Even those small ones (quakes) make us afraid,” Annamaria Scardi, a mother of two teenagers, told AFP. “We are worried because (we are supposed to) run away. But where do we go? Where? This is the situation. We’re on edge.”
“My family is divided… I want to stay, but my wife and children are looking for a house in the Castel Volturno area,” Vincenzo Russo told AFP.
“When you sleep at night, the nightmare is always there. You forget the situation and you’re on the couch, and then the tremor is there with you. There are big ones and small ones. Yesterday, for example, we had two small tremors before lunch,” he said.
Moving magma
This is mainly because Pozzuoli lies on top of a slumbering supervolcano known as the Campi Flegrei, or Phlegraean Fields. The Campi Flegrei is a large volcanic area that consists of many craters and calderas, some of which are filled with water and form lakes. The area is also rich in geothermal activity, such as fumaroles, hot springs, and mud pools.
The tremors are caused by the movement of magma and fluids deep underground, which create pressure and stress on the rocks above. This phenomenon is called bradyseism, and it can also cause the ground to rise or fall, sometimes by several meters, over time. Bradyseism can destabilize buildings and infrastructure, and pose a risk of landslides and tsunamis.
The Campi Flegrei is one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes, because of its size, complexity, and proximity to a densely populated area. It has erupted several times in the past, most recently in 1538, when it formed a new cone called Monte Nuovo. However, its most catastrophic eruption occurred about 39,000 years ago, when it spewed out about 300 cubic kilometers of ash and pumice, covering most of southern Europe and affecting the global climate.
Scientists are closely monitoring the Campi Flegrei, using various instruments and methods, such as seismometers, GPS, satellite imagery, and gas measurements. They are trying to understand the dynamics and evolution of the volcanic system, and to assess the probability and magnitude of a future eruption. They are also working with the authorities and the local communities to prepare for a possible emergency, such as a mass evacuation or a humanitarian crisis.
(With inputs from agencies)
However, Pozzuoli is not just known for its historical significance. It sits atop a restless piece of Earth. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Pozzuoli has felt over 2,500 tremors since August 2023. However, the occurrence of a 4.2 magnitude tremor on September 27, the most powerful quake to shake the volcanic field in over four decades, has ignited concerns among experts that a “seismic crisis” could be unfolding, marking the first such event since the early 1980s.
The big tremor, while not resulting in any major structural harm, along with roughly 2,500 lesser quakes since August, have left locals, including Annamaria Scardi, a mother of two teens, feeling on edge. In Pozzuoli, conversations in stores and cafés have shifted from the usual topics of football and politics to the palpable fear among the populace, stirred by a supervolcano that has triggered a series of earthquakes.
“Even those small ones (quakes) make us afraid,” Annamaria Scardi, a mother of two teenagers, told AFP. “We are worried because (we are supposed to) run away. But where do we go? Where? This is the situation. We’re on edge.”
“My family is divided… I want to stay, but my wife and children are looking for a house in the Castel Volturno area,” Vincenzo Russo told AFP.
“When you sleep at night, the nightmare is always there. You forget the situation and you’re on the couch, and then the tremor is there with you. There are big ones and small ones. Yesterday, for example, we had two small tremors before lunch,” he said.
Moving magma
This is mainly because Pozzuoli lies on top of a slumbering supervolcano known as the Campi Flegrei, or Phlegraean Fields. The Campi Flegrei is a large volcanic area that consists of many craters and calderas, some of which are filled with water and form lakes. The area is also rich in geothermal activity, such as fumaroles, hot springs, and mud pools.
The tremors are caused by the movement of magma and fluids deep underground, which create pressure and stress on the rocks above. This phenomenon is called bradyseism, and it can also cause the ground to rise or fall, sometimes by several meters, over time. Bradyseism can destabilize buildings and infrastructure, and pose a risk of landslides and tsunamis.
The Campi Flegrei is one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes, because of its size, complexity, and proximity to a densely populated area. It has erupted several times in the past, most recently in 1538, when it formed a new cone called Monte Nuovo. However, its most catastrophic eruption occurred about 39,000 years ago, when it spewed out about 300 cubic kilometers of ash and pumice, covering most of southern Europe and affecting the global climate.
Scientists are closely monitoring the Campi Flegrei, using various instruments and methods, such as seismometers, GPS, satellite imagery, and gas measurements. They are trying to understand the dynamics and evolution of the volcanic system, and to assess the probability and magnitude of a future eruption. They are also working with the authorities and the local communities to prepare for a possible emergency, such as a mass evacuation or a humanitarian crisis.
(With inputs from agencies)