Earthquake hits Naples ahead of Napoli - Real Madrid Champions League game

Shock in Naples the night before the Napoli - Real Madrid Champions League group stage match, when a magnitude 4 earthquake hit the city on Monday night. It was the second most powerful tremor in the area over the past 40 years. Occurring at 10.08 p.m. local time (4.08 p.m. ET), the quake’s epicentre was in the Phlegraean Fields volcanic region, situated 9 km from the city centre. This area has seen seismic activity over recent weeks.

Residents take to the streets in Naples

Residents in multiple neighbourhoods of Naples felt the tremor; in areas closer to the epicentre, many took to the streets in panic. The earthquake had a depth of 2.61 km and followed another significant quake on September 27, which had a magnitude of 4.2.

Aftershocks hit Naples

The Vesuvian Observatory recorded an additional eight earthquakes in the 15 minutes following the initial tremor. As of the time of reporting, authorities had reported no significant injuries or damages, although debris did fall in the Agnano area.

Amidst the ongoing seismic activity, Naples residents harbour growing concerns about the possibility of a volcanic eruption in the Phlegraean Fields area. However, studies by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology suggest that the likelihood of an eruption occurring in the near term is “almost negligible”.