International

Panic in Naples as Earthquake Shakes City, Collapses Buildings

Published

5 hours ago

Mar 13, 2025.

Dennis

Residents spent the night outdoors after a 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck near Naples.
One person was rescued from a collapsed house in Pozzuoli, with power disruptions reported.
Authorities closed schools in affected areas to assess building stability.

Many residents in and around Naples spent the night outdoors or in their cars after a powerful earthquake shook buildings and sent debris crashing down.

Italian seismologists recorded the tremor at magnitude 4.4, striking at 01:25 local time (00:25 GMT) at a shallow depth of three kilometres (two miles). The US Geological Survey measured it as a 4.2-magnitude quake occurring 10 kilometres deep.

Power outages were reported in parts of Naples, and in the nearby town of Pozzuoli—close to the epicentre—one person was rescued from the rubble of a partially collapsed house.

Naples sits atop the Phlegraean Fields, a volcanic basin that makes the region particularly prone to seismic activity.

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The earthquake was felt across several areas of the Campania region, followed by at least two weaker aftershocks. Fearful of further tremors, many residents evacuated their homes and gathered on the streets.

Images from the scene showed a damaged house and a car with a shattered windscreen. Authorities have established a rescue coordination centre to assess the impact.

As a precaution, schools in Pozzuoli and two nearby neighbourhoods will remain closed on Thursday for structural safety inspections, according to Corriere Della Sera.