Naples: a series of earthquakes; 26 injured. Tajani: ‘Full support for those displaced’

“Unfortunately, 26 people have been reported injured, with 21 receiving treatment at Pozzuoli Hospital and 5 at Giugliano Hospital.” This was stated by Fabio Ciciliano, Head of the Civil Protection Department, at the end of this morning’s briefing on the situation in the Phlegraean Fields.

In addition to the collapse of several unoccupied buildings, the tremor caused damage to the built environment and, according to the Department of Civil Protection, around 300 people have had to leave their homes. “At this time, the fire service and technical experts are continuing to inspect the town, and it cannot be ruled out that this number may rise”, hence the Department’s appeal to residents “to report any damage to their homes”. Meanwhile, the maritime authorities and RFI are working to resolve the problems reported at the port of Pozzuoli and on the Cumana railway line, which is currently suspended on the Bagnoli–Torregaveta section.

Structural inspections of the buildings are currently continuing: last night, the fire service evacuated 18 households in Via Sannino and a further four in Via San Vitagliano. The port of Pozzuoli will remain closed and the Central Tyrrhenian Sea Port Authority is preparing an order to close off the state-owned maritime areas beneath the rocky cliffs.

“There is great concern amongst the public. In Bacoli , there have been instances of landslides and damage to the plasterwork of buildings . The local population is very frightened. Following inspections carried out in the area, in collaboration with the police, no homes have been found to be uninhabitable. Nor has any resident been evacuated. We have had no injuries.” The mayor of Bacoli, Josi Gerardo Della Ragione, gives an update on the situation regarding the consequences of the seismic swarm in his municipality.

“We will now continue with monitoring along the coastline, in collaboration with the Harbour Master’s Office. And in schools. I realise it’s not easy. And I understand everyone’s fears. But we must stand together. And get through this, all united. I promise you that. We will do our very best. And we will expect everyone else to do the same. Because the Campi Flegrei deserve answers. Together, this is the only way forward. One step at a time,” continues the mayor.

“There are currently around 250 displaced people, but the number could be three times that, or even more. There are dozens of flats and buildings that need to be assessed; the situation is certainly serious,” he concludes.

‘I have just spoken to the Prefect of Naples, Michele di Bari. I am closely monitoring the situation in Pozzuoli and the Campi Flegrei area. The Government is committed to ensuring full assistance for all those displaced, and to finding a permanent solution for the reconstruction and safety measures for all buildings deemed unfit for habitation. Through the Prefect, I have expressed my solidarity with the citizens affected by this latest seismic event. I would like to thank the Civil Protection Agency, the Fire Brigade and all the rescue workers for their efforts.” This was posted on X by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani.

“Following the strong earthquake that struck the Campi Flegrei area, a major fire broke out inside the Nisida juvenile detention centre, leading to moments of extreme tension and a real risk of unrest.” This was reported by Sappe, the Independent Prison Police Union, through its general secretary Donato Capece and the Campania regional coordinator for the juvenile sector Federico Costigliola.

“The power cut,” explains Costigliola, “further exacerbated the situation. Although the Fire Brigade arrived on the island, they encountered enormous difficulties in reaching the building in a timely manner, whilst a worrying lack of preparedness in managing the emergency came to light: there appears to be no genuinely operational evacuation plan, and even the procedures relating to the fire-fighting systems seemed uncertain. This is a situation that cannot be tolerated.”

According to Capece and Costigliola, ‘what happened last night following the violent earthquake that struck the Campi Flegrei area demonstrates, once again, that the Nisida Juvenile Detention Centre no longer guarantees adequate safety standards for either prison officers or young detainees. We strongly call for the immediate closure of the facility and the transfer of the inmates to suitable institutions’.

Meanwhile, the seismic swarm continues. After 7.46 pm yesterday – when the strongest tremor in the last forty years – seismographs have recorded 129 earthquakes in the bradyseismic area, almost all of them of low intensity. The strongest tremor in the last few hours, measuring 3.1 on the Richter scale, occurred at 5.47 and was clearly felt by the public in the municipalities of Pozzuoli and Bacoli, as well as in several neighbourhoods of Naples.