Bradisismic activity and the consequences on the territory
In the 70s-80s, bradisism generated a fast soil lifting of over 3.5 m accompanied by important seismic swarms and damage to buildings such as to alternate serious moments of despair in the population with temporary evacuations (forced and spontaneous). Subsequently Caldera recorded a phase of subsidence (lowering of the ground) for about twenty years until the end of 2005, when a new lifting period has started currently underway with maximum values concentrated in the port area of Pozzuoli.
“The continuous lifting of the soil testifies to the progressive increase in internal pressure of the system: this, in addition to producing lifting, breaks the rocks by producing earthquakes”as he explains Giuseppe De ChristmasIngv research manager (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology), which specifies on Printing as «As long as the lifting of the soil lasts will last seismicity And by persistenting the high lifting speed, we can record other events of the genre, and also stronger ».
Risk monitoring and management
The area is scientifically monitored for years by the Ingv With geodesic and seismic measures, at a level of attention rising from green to yellow. Since 2013 there is also a (complex) evacuation planto be implemented in 72 hours involving about half a million inhabitants, if there are risks of new eruptions. If the latter could (the conditional is a must) be reported (hopefully) with a adequate advance through the monitoring tools on the field, on the contrary a large earthquake, as we know, cannot be expected in advance.
As he wrote Mario Tozzi on Printing, «It is the building situation The real problem of the Campi Flegrei and the Neapolitan. In fact, it is not normal that collapses occur, albeit of rubble, tiles, chimneys, with an earthquake of that magnitude, it is not normal that there are even more seriously injured and risks that a person is extracted from the rubble, who open cracks in buildings and that there is a deadly chaos that makes each operation complicated. Over the decades, the growth of settlements has been favored, new homes have even been built, when the first commandment was to be New bricks zero: No new construction in such a high risk area. A risk known for centuries, or in any case for decades and which could in no way be neglected, at least after the bradyseismic crisis of the 80s of the twentieth century “.
The need for effective prevention
The building quality of the area would on the contrary require careful redevelopment policy and structural checks For adapt buildings to support the Cycles of raising and lowering of the soilwhich can compromise the functionality of Networks of underground services (gas, water), de internal windows (failure to orthogonality of the doors of the doors) and cause custodial paintings to structural and non -structural elements (Tamponals). In addition to suffering further damage to the consequent seismic activity. Definitely a double stress For any structure, more critical for old buildings.
Today the soil continues to rise, the seismic shocks also take place with a magnitude greater than 4 and consequently the alert grows. At this moment the most evident risk seems to be the seismic one, on which it could have been intervened already in the most recent past, in memory of what has already happened.
Laconic the reflection of Giuseppe De Natale (Ingv): «The only measure to be taken now, now in an emergency, is to ascertain with the utmost speed, mobilizing hundreds of engineers and architects of proven experiencethat inhabited buildings can resist earthquakes like these and also much stronger than these ». Already last year there were widespread damage and 1,500 displaced people. This time (shock of March 13, 2025) there were 11 injured. The Minister for Civil Protection, Nello Musumecisaid that “About 2,000 buildings in the Phlegraean camps are at seismic risk; The government has launched a shipping To identify these vulnerable structures and planned a state intervention to reduce seismic risk “ Also with funds to be allocated in the coming years to restore the usability of houses damaged by the seismic events of last year.
Certainly an appreciable effort, perhaps a little late compared to the ongoing event? Prevention is performed in peacetime, while in an emergency it often represents only a palliative. The head of the Civil Protection, Fabio Cicilianoremember how «Our country is among the most seismic in the world, but it is also one of those in which The earthquakes are studied more». Very true and here lies the surreal contradiction of having a cutting -edge anti -seismic engineering, but still little intervened on the fragility of a vast building heritage, totally inadequate especially in areas with high risk.
Ciliano himself underlines how «both essential and Citizens are aware of the risk In order to face emergencies with the right security measures “. How many people participated in the evacuation tests put in place by the Civil Protection in recent months at the Flegrei Campi? In June last year, 16 in Naples showed up, 30 in Pozzuoli; Around, crowded beaches. Only the sharing and collective participation A adequate prevention activity in the future will favor a strong culture of security.
