Minor Earthquake Causes Partial Wall Collapse at Pompeii Amid Campi Flegrei Tremors

A weak layer of tuff rock beneath Italy's Campi Flegrei caldera has been identified as the cause of its periodic unrest, including frequent small earthquakes that have been monitored for over 20 years. This layer acts like a sponge for volcanic gases, deforming and breaking under pressure and triggering seismic activity. The Campi Flegrei area, which poses significant volcanic risks to about 500,000 residents near Naples, has been experiencing one such restless period since 2005. Recently, a minor earthquake of magnitude 3.2, part of a seismic swarm linked to Campi Flegrei, caused the partial collapse of a wall and a section of a vault at the Pompeii archaeological site, which had been previously damaged in the 1980 earthquake but restored since then. No frescoes or movable relics were affected, and no injuries were reported. Pompeii's director, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, confirmed ongoing checks to ensure the site's stability amid these seismic events.