Magnitude 4.7 earthquake strikes Campi Flegrei near Naples, four injured and trains suspended
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake shook the Campi Flegrei volcanic caldera west of Naples on Friday evening, lightly injuring four people, damaging buildings, and forcing the suspension of all local train and metro services.
The quake
At 19:46 local time on Friday, 31 July 2026, a magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck the Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) caldera west of Naples, Italy. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) located the hypocenter at a depth of about 3 kilometres beneath the 13-kilometre-wide caldera, a volcanic structure that contains a massive magma reservoir. The city of Pozzuoli, home to more than 80,000 people, sits at the centre of the caldera and bore the brunt of the damage.
Damage and injuries
Italian news agency ANSA reported that four people were lightly injured. Falling fragments of walls and building facades struck streets and parked cars in Pozzuoli. Firefighters described minor structural damage to buildings in Naples and surrounding towns but stated that no calls required rescue operations or immediate assistance to residents. Power outages were reported in parts of the area, adding to the disruption.
Transport chaos and public reaction
The tremor caused widespread panic, with residents in Naples and its outskirts rushing out of homes into open spaces. The shaking was strongly felt on the nearby islands of Procida and Ischia. Local authorities suspended all regional train and metro services as a precaution to inspect overhead wires and rail infrastructure. The disruptions lasted through the evening as engineers checked for damage.
A restless supervolcano
Campi Flegrei is one of the world's most dangerous volcanic systems, a caldera that encompasses much of western Naples. In recent years seismic swarms have become more frequent, prompting Italian authorities to increase monitoring. The 4.7-magnitude event is one of the strongest ever recorded on the caldera. It revives memories of the seismic crisis of the early 1980s, when heightened ground uplift and persistent tremors forced the evacuation of thousands of residents from Pozzuoli.
Italy's long history of destructive quakes
Earthquakes are relatively common in Italy. The central regions of Lazio, Umbria, and Marche suffered a series of powerful shocks in 2016 that killed approximately 300 people and caused extensive devastation. The deadliest quake in recent decades was the magnitude 6.9 Irpinia earthquake in November 1980, which claimed around 2,700 lives and flattened hundreds of towns across the south of the country. Friday's event, while far less powerful, highlights the persistent seismic hazard facing the densely populated Bay of Naples.
