Will it, won't it? Italian town anticipates supervolcano eruption amid earthquakes

More than a thousand earthquakes have rocked areas around Campi Flegrei volcano in Italy recently. And this has stoked fears about the supervolcano erupting after lying dormant for nearly 500 years. The government is thinking about possible mass evacuation of thousands of people who live in this area. The volcanic area of Campi Flegrei is also called Phlegraen Fields, which is derived from ancient Greek word for burning.

The area currently bears a surreal look thanks to sulphurous fumes from the surface and is attracting tourists. Although residents have grown used to the smell and the fumes, they are worried due the large number of earthquakes. Most of them have been minor.

However, on September 27, a 4.2 magnitude earthquake hit, the strongest to joltthe region in more than 40 years. Scientists fear what's called a 'seismic crisis' may be underway. If it indeed happens, it will mark the first such phenomenon since early 1980s.

"Even those small ones (quakes) make us afraid," said Annamaria Scardi as quoted by Reuters

"We are worried because (we are supposed to) run away. But where do we go? Where? This is the situation. We're on edge."

Experts are not predicting any immediate threat of supervolcano eruption but there are concerns about the geophysical activity causing ground uplift and descent. Such a movement may prove harmful to stability of the buildings.

The government has already discussed the situation in the cabinet.

The 'seismic crisis'

The seismic crisis, which is called bradyseism, occurs due filling or emptying of magma chambers underground. Last time this happened, the crisis lasted for several years and forced temporary evacuation of 40,000 people from Pozzuoli, the town in the region.

"My family is divided... I want to stay, but my wife and children are looking for a house in the Castel Volturno area," said Vincenzo Russo, referring to a town about 30 km (18 miles) north.

"When you sleep at night, the nightmare is always there. You forget the situation and you're on the couch, and then the tremor is there with you. There are big ones and small ones. Yesterday, for example, we had two small tremors before lunch," he said.

Same story but 6,000 miles apart

Just like in Italy, a volcano in California has piqued scientific interest due to similarities of earthquakes in the region. The Long Valley Caldera in California is also a supervolcano.

However, scientists do not predict a major eruption.

“The first thing people think is that there’s going to be a civilization-ending eruption,” said Michael Poland, a geophysicist at the United States Geological Survey as quoted by NBC News.

(With inputs from agencies)