Magnitude 4.7 earthquake near Naples injures 26, strongest in Phlegraean Fields in 40 years

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake shook the densely populated volcanic region west of Naples at 19:46 CEST on Friday, 31 July 2026, followed by dozens of aftershocks that continued through Saturday morning. The Italian Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) located the epicentre between Pozzuoli and Quarto at a depth of three kilometres. It was the strongest tremor recorded in the Phlegraean Fields in roughly 40 years, according to Lorenzo Benedetto, chairman of the geologists' association of the Campania region.

Injuries and damage

Authorities reported at least 26 people injured, with the coastal town of Pozzuoli bearing the brunt. Walls and sections of facades collapsed, tuff-stone slopes gave way, and falling rocks and debris damaged cars and buildings. Several uninhabited structures collapsed entirely. Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci confirmed smaller landslides and rockfalls across the area. A high-voltage pylon toppled in Naples, causing temporary power outages despite the deployment of backup electricity supplies. The port authority closed the Pozzuoli pier.

It is the strongest earthquake to have occurred in the Phlegraean Fields in 40 years.

Residents flee into the streets

The initial shock and subsequent aftershocks were clearly felt in Pozzuoli, the towns around the Phlegraean Fields, Naples itself, and on the islands of Ischia and Procida. Frightened residents abandoned their homes and spent the night outdoors. Around 300 people were forced to leave their apartments and houses. Reception points were set up in Naples and Pozzuoli for those needing assistance.

The quake was so strong and prolonged that I couldn't even open my apartment door because it was jammed. After yesterday's fright it was impossible to spend the night at home.

Aftershocks and ongoing alert

Dozens of weaker aftershocks followed through the night, the strongest reaching magnitude 3.8 at 05:47 on Saturday morning, according to the INGV. Minister Musumeci warned that volcanic activity was not yet over and advised the population to remain cautious. The civil protection department currently maintains the alert level at yellow, meaning the volcano is more active than usual and is under close observation.

Europe's largest active supervolcano

The Phlegraean Fields cover roughly 150 square kilometres underground and are classified as a supervolcano, distinguished by an exceptionally large magma chamber. Its last eruption occurred in 1538. The area has been shaken by frequent small and occasional stronger earthquakes for some time; a magnitude 4.4 event struck in May 2026, and another of the same magnitude caused panic in March 2025. Last year the government in Rome launched new measures and evacuation plans for hundreds of thousands of residents. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is in constant contact with local authorities, her office said.

Half a million people in the red zone would have to leave the area within three days. That is a very optimistic hypothesis, almost as if we had signed a contract with the volcano.

Experts currently assess the risk of an eruption with extreme consequences as "very unlikely," National Geographic reported in June 2026.