A sudden roar, then the floor vibrating and the chandeliers swinging in the silence of the early hours of the morning. Naples woke up like this today, shortly after 5.50 am, when a strong earthquake of magnitude 4.4 hit the Campi Flegrei area, with the epicenter located in the sea about 3 kilometers deep.
The earthquake was felt distinctly in numerous neighborhoods of the Campania capital, from Fuorigrotta to Bagnoli, passing through Vomero, Posillipo, Arenella and the hospital area. The earthquake also reached many municipalities in the western area, including Pozzuoli, Bacoli, Quarto, Monte di Procida, Marano and Giugliano. Many ran into the streets still in their pajamas, while hundreds of testimonies appeared on social media from citizens who were suddenly awakened.
Seismic event, Md 4.4, at Campi Flegrei and swarm report: 21 May 2026 https://t.co/wvJgQZ8Fe3
— INGVterremoti (@INGVterremoti) May 21, 2026
One of the strongest shocks of recent years
The seismic event is considered among the most intense recorded since the beginning of the new phase of bradyseism in the Campi Flegrei. In terms of strength and duration, many residents compared the earthquake to that of 30 June 2025, when a magnitude of 4.6 was recorded, the highest in the last forty years in the Phlegraean area.
According to what was communicated by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, after the main shock a seismic swarm began, constantly monitored by the Vesuvian Observatory and the Civil Protection. At the moment there is no serious structural damage, but there are numerous reports of falling plaster, cracks and small collapses, especially in the Bacoli area.
Schools closed and transport slowed down
As a precaution, several mayors of the Phlegraean area have ordered the closure of schools and the immediate activation of the Municipal Operations Centers. Stop educational activities in Pozzuoli, Bacoli, Quarto, Monte di Procida and in some areas of Naples near the red zone of the Campi Flegrei, in particular in Bagnoli.
In Giugliano, the mayor Diego D’Alterio ordered the suspension of lessons to allow technical checks on the school buildings. The Campi Flegrei Archaeological Park has also decided to temporarily close all sites to carry out safety checks.
Also inconveniences for rail transport. Traffic on the Cumana, Circumflegrea lines and on Line 2 of the metro has been temporarily suspended to allow static checks on the infrastructure. However, Line 1, Line 6 and the city funiculars are regular.
Damage to the ridges in Bacoli and fear among residents
Among the critical issues reported in the hours following the earthquake there are some failures of the rocky ridges in Bacoli, in particular between Punta Epitaffio and Punta Pennata. In the Phlegraean municipality, stone falls and damage were also recorded in the area of the lookout dedicated to Mayor Valenzi. The mayor of Bacoli, Josi Della Ragione, invited the population to calm down, explaining that technicians and municipal teams are already working to check for any damage to homes and public structures.
Councilor Eduardo Cosenza explained that the accelerations recorded by the earthquake were particularly strong in the areas closest to the epicentre, especially in Bacoli and Bagnoli, although they remained lower than the peaks recorded in the previous months. A figure which, according to experts, helps to understand why no major collapses have been reported at the moment.
The mayor of Pozzuoli, Luigi Manzoni, also confirmed the immediate activation of controls in the area. Fear remains high, especially because the memory of the strong tremors of recent years is still very much alive among the residents of the Phlegraean area. And this morning, once again, Naples woke up to the disturbing sound of the earth moving underfoot.
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