Is It Time to Start Worrying About an Eruption at the Campi Flegrei?

One of the most active calderas on Earth is showing increasing signs of restlessness. Does this mean we need to be worried about an eruption? The answer right now is ... maybe?

Rocky Planet iconRocky Planet
By Erik Klemetti
Oct 8, 2023 3:00 PMOct 8, 2023 3:12 PM
volcano5
Solfatara, a volcanic vent within Campi Flegrei’s caldera, spews sulfur-rich gases. Russ Juskalian

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It's been 485 years since the last eruption at Italy's Campi Flegrei. As you might guess, a lot has changed. When Monte Nuovo formed in 1538, the population in and around Naples was a few hundred thousand people. Today, that number is closer to three million people. The 1538 eruption produced a small cinder cone in Pouzzuoli at the mouth of the Bay of Naples, burying parts of medieval villages. With increased restlessness under the Campi Flegrei, Italy has to contend with the fact that even a small eruption like 1538 might require evacuating half a million people from a densely settled area.

Italy's Restless Caldera

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