Italian government officials have started redrafting evacuation plans after the city of Naples was hit with a swarm of mostly small earthquakes centered on the undersea caldera of Campi Flagrei, a freaking monster volcano that would cause untold destruction were it to erupt, ABC News reports.
Experts downplayed the action, saying the quakes don’t necessarily mean the volcano – which last erupted in 1538 – would awaken again. “The seismic activity has been intensifying for months. We have observed over 3,000 tremors since the start of 2023,” said Italian government geologist Gianfilippo De Astis. “Only 65, however, were above a 2.0 magnitude,” he continued, saying it may just be a cyclical movement of magma rather than a precursor. De Astis still warned authorities have to get their shit together and start working on preparing. “No doubt that the plans need to be updated, but that’s a complex issue,” De Astis said “For sure, escape routes have to be enlarged to allow a quicker exodus. The government should definitely act on the infrastructure side.”