Strongest quake in 40 years rocks Italy’s volcanic region, injures dozens (VIDEOS)

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck the Campi Flegrei volcanic region near Naples in southern Italy on Friday evening, injuring at least 26 people, two of them critically, and damaging dozens of buildings.

The earthquake hit at 7:46pm local time at a shallow depth of about 3km, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). Its epicenter was between the towns of Pozzuoli and Quarto. Civil protection officials said that it was the strongest quake recorded in the area since continuous instrumental monitoring began, surpassing two magnitude 4.6 tremors registered in 2025.

The quake was felt across Naples, Ischia, Procida, and much of the Gulf of Naples. Seismographs have since recorded more than 60 aftershocks, the strongest measuring magnitude 3.8 late on Friday and another of 3.1 early on Saturday. Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci warned that the seismic swarm is continuing and that further earthquakes above magnitude 3 remain possible.

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The worst damage was reported in Pozzuoli, where falling masonry, collapsing facades, and landslides damaged homes, businesses, and parked vehicles, according to multiple videos posted online.

Grietas en casas, derrumbes, coches dañados y diez personas levemente heridas. Este es el primer reportaje del fuerte terremoto de magnitud 4.7 que sacudió la zona de Campi Flegrei esta tarde, con el epicentro en la zona de Solfatara de Pozzuoli. En las comunas de Flegrei, los…

pic.twitter.com/u0YXPfAQF4

— Guillermo Gomez (@G_GomezJ)

August 1, 2026

Dust blanketed roads and cars, while several unoccupied buildings collapsed.

#CampiFlegrei

: dalle prime immagini che circolano sembra che gran parte dei danni più importanti siano stati causati dal crollo dei costoni di roccia che bordano gran parte dei crateri della caldera.

pic.twitter.com/s8PLrMo1LD

— Il Mondo dei Terremoti (@mondoterremoti)

July 31, 2026

Cracks also appeared at the town’s commercial port, forcing its closure and suspending ferry and hydrofoil services to the nearby islands of Ischia and Procida.

🚨🇮🇹 4.7 magnitude earthquake just struck Naples.

People flooding the streets in panic.

Power outages reported across parts of Naples.

Train and metro services suspended.

One of the strongest quakes in decades

My brother just sent me this video

pic.twitter.com/raPKq4kwSK

— Robin Nakamoto (@RobinNakamoto)

July 31, 2026

Power outages affected around 100,000 customers after a high-voltage pylon collapsed in Naples’ Agnano district.

CCTV footage of the moment a strong earthquake struck Campi Flegrei, west of Naples, Italy, causing major damage.

pic.twitter.com/AzUpoeL76l

— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors)

July 31, 2026

Train, metro, and high-speed rail services across the region were temporarily suspended before gradually resuming.

Imágenes de daños en la región de Nápoles, Italia tras el terremoto de M4.5 está tarde a las 19h46.

Dada la cercanía del epicentro y poca profundidad, percibido fuerte.

#Sismo

#earthquake

#Naples

#Italy

Vía

@AlertesNewsFR24

pic.twitter.com/wkr0ovOwTc

— Geól. Sergio Almazán (@chematierra)

July 31, 2026

Authorities in Pozzuoli initially evacuated around 250 people after the quake. As inspections continued, at least nine buildings were declared unsafe and around 290 residents, were ordered from their homes, with the number expected to rise as building checks continue.

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🇮🇹 🫨

#Strongest

#earthquake

#in

40

#years

#strikes

#near

#Naples

🔹A magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck the Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) area. Residential buildings in Pozzuoli sustained damage, while falling rocks and debris landed on cars and railway tracks.

pic.twitter.com/ToLae8tb9A

— Us Un (@UsUn583176)

July 31, 2026

Local media reported that many residents chose to spend the night outdoors or in their cars rather than return to their homes.

🤔HOFFENTLICH WAR ES DAS, SONST...

Braucht sich keiner mehr um den Klimawandel 😂 zu sorgen.

Ein Erdbeben der Stärke M4,7 hat die Phlegräische Felder bei Neapel, in einer Tiefe von 3 km erschüttert, laut INGV; das USGS gibt eine Tiefe von 5 km an.

Laut Rai war es das stärkste…

pic.twitter.com/PazXiWDHcO

— Steffen Unger (@unger2701)

August 1, 2026

Three streets have also been sealed off because of the risk of further collapses, including from a damaged church bell tower.

⚠️ UPDATE: A M4.7 earthquake hit Campi Flegrei near Naples, Italy. Fire crews report minor building damage but no immediate rescue requests or major injuries.

#Terremoto

- Sismo -

#Napoli

- Pozzuoli - Fuorigrotta - Campania

https://t.co/kjC6yBgAmE

pic.twitter.com/PDlQ6BSar2

— GeoTechWar (@geotechwar)

July 31, 2026

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told the media that she was closely monitoring the situation as Italy’s Civil Protection Department coordinated the emergency response with local authorities.

UN SISMO DE MAGNITUD 4,7 SACUDIÓ A LOS CAMPOS FLÉGREOS, CERCA DE NÁPOLES

Dejó al menos ocho heridos, cuyo estado era estable, además de daños en edificios y cortes de electricidad. Protección Civil informó que fue el movimiento más fuerte registrado en la zona en los últimos 40…

pic.twitter.com/UUXbd7NyI4

— Clarín (@clarincom)

August 1, 2026

Firefighters continued rescue operations and structural inspections across the affected area on Saturday.

A 4.7 magnitude earthquake struck the Phlegraean Fields (Campi Flegrei) volcanic area near Naples, Italy today

It was the strongest earthquake in the area in over 40 years

The world really doesn’t want Camp Flegrei to wake up & be at its worst behaviour

pic.twitter.com/oHEYNWGPTC

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24)

July 31, 2026

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Campi Flegrei, or the Phlegraean Fields, is a vast volcanic caldera about 9km west of Naples and roughly 50km from Mount Vesuvius. One of Europe’s most closely monitored volcanic systems, it has been undergoing a prolonged phase of bradyseism – the gradual rise and fall of the ground accompanied by increasingly frequent earthquakes – since 2005. Around 500,000 people live in the area’s 15 municipalities, which make up the high-risk

“red zone.”