Dozens of earthquakes cause panic in volcanic area in southern Italy

Dozens of unprecedented earthquakes have been recorded in the Campi Flegrei area near Naples in southern Italy, the strongest in 40 years. 

While they did not cause significant damage, they terrified residents, authorities announced.

The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology reported a 4.4 magnitude earthquake at 20:10 (16:10 GMT), at a depth of 2.5 kilometers.

Minutes earlier, a 3.5 magnitude earthquake struck, followed by dozens of aftershocks.

The institute explained in a statement, "Starting at 19:51 (17:51 GMT), a series of tremors occurred in the Campi Flegrei area," which is a volcanic region, and "49 earthquakes were recorded."

Mauro Di Vito from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology noted that this series of earthquakes is "the strongest in the past forty years."

Firefighters reported on the X platform about "cracks" and "landslides," while videos filmed by residents showed the floor of a store covered with bottles of milk and alcohol that had fallen from the shelves in Pozzuoli, located in the Campi Flegrei area, home to half a million people.

AFP