At Least 26 People Injured and Hundreds Evacuated After Devastating Earthquake in Italy

At least 26 people were injured and hundreds were forced to evacuate after a powerful earthquake struck a volcanic region near Naples, Italy, over the weekend.

The 4.7-magnitude earthquake hit the Campi Flegrei area, west of Naples, at approximately 7:46 p.m. local time on Saturday, August 1, according to Italy’s Civil Protection Department.

Officials said 21 people received medical assistance in Pozzuoli, near the earthquake’s epicenter, while another five were treated in Giugliano.

At least two of the injured were taken to an emergency room. Their current conditions have not been released.

The earthquake caused significant damage across the region, including the collapse of the roof at Pozzuoli’s main fish market.

Officials said approximately 300 people were evacuated from their homes after buildings were damaged. Additional evacuations could be ordered as firefighters and engineers continue inspecting structures to determine whether they are safe.

Several already-uninhabitable buildings reportedly collapsed during the earthquake, while power outages were reported throughout the Campi Flegrei area.

The Pozzuoli pier was also damaged, and landslides were reported in several locations. Authorities said those areas would be inspected as emergency crews continued assessing the destruction.

Palatrincone, a multipurpose indoor sports arena in Pozzuoli, was converted into an emergency shelter with 185 beds for residents who could not safely return home.

“The Civil Protection Crisis Unit and the Situation Room of the Department continue to monitor the situation in contact with civil protection facilities on the territory,” the Civil Protection Department said.

The earthquake struck at a shallow depth of approximately 1.8 miles, making the shaking especially noticeable across the region.

Tremors were felt in Naples and as far away as the island of Ischia, near the Sorrento Peninsula, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.

Approximately 60 additional tremors were recorded after the main earthquake. One of the strongest aftershocks, measuring magnitude 3.1, struck at approximately 5:47 a.m. and was felt in both Pozzuoli and Naples.

Campi Flegrei, also known as the Phlegraean Fields, is an active volcanic region that has experienced repeated earthquakes and ground movement.

Images from the area showed rocks that had fallen from a ridge near the Solfatara volcanic crater following the earthquake.

One rescuer warned that additional collapses were possible.

“There is a risk that the mountain could continue to collapse,” the rescuer said, describing conditions in the area as “so dangerous.”

The rescuer also claimed officials had been aware of instability in the area for more than a year.

“What makes us angry is that this situation was foreseeable, because there had already been problems with the mountain for a year and a half,” the rescuer said. “The municipality knew about the situation and did nothing — perhaps if they had acted sooner, this could have been avoided.”

Emergency officials continued monitoring the region as crews searched for additional damage and worked to determine whether more residents would have to leave their homes.