A magnitude 4.4 earthquake shook the area around Naples early this morning, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology reported. According to the data, the quake was registered at 01:25 local time, with an epicenter in the sea, right next to the city, at a depth of 2 km, News.bg reports.
The US Geological Survey estimated the earthquake's strength at 4.2 on the Richter scale.
The quake was felt in a wide area around Naples and the Phlegraean Fields - a highly volcanic area located just a few kilometers from the city center, ANSA reports.
Rescue services responded immediately. In Pozzuoli, the main city on the Phlegraean Peninsula, firefighters pulled a man alive from under the collapsed roof of a house. Operations are ongoing to determine if there are more people trapped.
The Phlegraean Fields region is known for its high volcanic activity and is home to the largest active supervolcano in Europe. In recent weeks, there has been increased seismic activity there, including a swarm of earthquakes.
According to experts, supervolcanoes are characterized by huge magma chambers and the ability to erupt with catastrophic force, rather than erupting gradually like regular volcanoes.