Dozens of earthquakes cause panic in southern Italy

WORLD, May 21 (YPA) – Dozens of unprecedented earthquakes have been recorded in the Campi Flegrei area near Naples in southern Italy, the strongest in 40 years. While they did not cause significant damage, they terrified residents, AFP reported, citing local authorities.

The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology reported a 4.4 magnitude earthquake at 20:10 (16:10 GMT), at a depth of 2.5 kilometers.

Minutes earlier, a 3.5 magnitude earthquake struck, followed by dozens of aftershocks.

The institute explained in a statement, “Starting at 19:51 (17:51 GMT), a series of tremors occurred in the Campi Flegrei area,” which is a volcanic region, and “49 earthquakes were recorded.”

Mauro Di Vito from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology noted that this series of earthquakes is “the strongest in the past forty years.”

Firefighters reported news about “cracks” and “landslides,” while videos filmed by residents showed the floor of a store covered with bottles of milk and alcohol that had fallen from the shelves in Pozzuoli, located in the Campi Flegrei area, home to half a million people.

E.M