The earth on the slopes of Vesuvius begins to tremble again, by a singular coincidence when there are just a few days left until the anniversary of the last eruption, dating back to 1944.
This evening, at 7.08pm, a magnitude 3 earthquake was distinctly felt by tens of thousands of people in a densely populated area, ranging from the eastern outskirts of Naples to the municipalities of Pollena Trocchia, Massa di Somma and Sant'Anastasia.
Many families, especially residents on the upper floors, have taken to the streets, technical checks are underway but at the moment no damage to people or things has been reported.
For months, another seismic area has been causing concern in the Neapolitan area, that of the Campi Flegrei: the last strong shock eight days ago, on March 3, an earthquake of magnitude 3.4 with its epicenter in the sea of Bagnoli.
Today, however, the earthquake started from the depths of Vesuvius, a dormant volcano under special surveillance which for now shows no signs of particular danger.
Already two days ago, on March 9, a smaller earthquake (magnitude 1.4) occurred at 6.29 pm, without causing any alarm.
In a week it will be 80 years since the last eruption of Vesuvius, which began on 18 March 1944 in the midst of the Second World War.
An anniversary that will be remembered from 17 to 19 March with three days of guided visits to the historic headquarters of the Vesuvian Observatory and the places of the volcano, open to families and students of schools in the "red zone" identified by the National Civil Protection Plan, initiative promoted by the Vesuvian Observatory of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, by the Department of Civil Protection by the Civil Protection of the Campania Region and by the Vesuvius National Park Authority.
An anniversary which, the Region underlines, also and above all aims to develop, especially among students, knowledge of the volcano and awareness of the risk.
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