The response of the National Service
Following the seismic events that occurred on September 27 and October 2, 2023, with magnitudes of 4.2 and 4.0, the government approved Decree-Law No. 140 of October 12, 2023, "Urgent measures for the prevention of seismic risk related to the phenomenon of bradyseism in the Phlegraean Fields area" to provide an organic response to the ongoing bradyseismic crisis, with structural and nonstructural prevention measures. The decree was later converted into Law No. 183 of December 7, 2023. Furthermore, following the magnitude 4.4 earthquake on May 20, 2024, an extraordinary mobilization of the National Civil Protection Service was ordered to support the Campania Region by a decree of the Minister for Civil Protection and Sea Policies dated May 30, 2024.
Decree-Law No. 140 of October 12, 2023. The measure outlines the main actions the Civil Protection System must implement to effectively respond to a complex risk situation such as the one in the Phlegraean Fields area. These actions include analyzing the vulnerability of built-up areas, creating an emergency plan specifically for bradyseism, developing a communication plan for the population, and assessing the functioning of transportation infrastructure and other essential services. The Civil Protection Department, the Campania Region, and the Centres of Competence with the most technical preparation and experience in this field in our country, namely the INGV-OV, the PLINIVS Study Centre, the Reluis Interuniversity Consortium, Eucentre, CNR-IREA, and CNR-IGAG are all involved in these activities and are working closely with the affected municipalities and the metropolitan city of Naples. The measure also involves strengthening the operational response of local civil protection.
The Plan for vulnerability analysis of built-up areas. By the Decree of the Minister for Civil Protection and Sea Policies of February 26, 2024, in agreement with the Minister of Economy and Finance, a Rapid Emergency Plan, coordinated by the Department, was finally approved for analyzing the seismic vulnerability of the building heritage and local hazards in built-up areas through a new seismic microzonation study. The activities under this Plan apply to the intervention area identified in the Rapid Emergency Planning for the area affected by bradyseism.
These efforts are intended to support seismic redevelopment strategies and identify intervention priorities on private and public assets. Additionally, there are plans to strengthen seismic and structure monitoring by integrating networks managed by Ingv's Vesuvius Observatory and the Civil Protection Department.
The Communication Plan. As one of the urgent measures, the decree-law foresees the implementation of a Communication Plan for the population, coordinated by the Campania Region, to disseminate knowledge of risks, civil protection planning, and the correct behaviors to be adopted in the affected areas, with a particular focus on people with disabilities.
More specifically, the Plan is structured into macro-activities involving the implementation of awareness and service communication campaigns; the enhancement and standardization of institutional websites; the development of a regional app for citizens; the arrangement of regular meetings with the population and events targeting schools and universities in the areas affected by the phenomenon of bradyseism; the scheduling of cultural events and promoted by the third sector; the support of the information desks of the affected municipalities; the planning of open days of public facilities; the realization of training activities aimed at journalists, volunteers, school leaders, managers, officials and civil servants, including those of the affected municipalities; and the design, production and installation of multilingual street signs.
The Plan was approved by Resolution No. 679 by the Regional Council of the Campania Region on November 23, 2023. It was published in the Official Bulletin of the Campania Region No. 86 on December 04, 2023.
The Rapid Emergency Planning for bradyseism. Provided for in Article 4 of Decree-Law 140, this planning originates from the urgent need to define a specific strategy and operational procedures in response to the effects and possible consequences of bradyseism.
It is drafted by the Civil Protection Department, in cooperation with the Campania Region, the Prefecture - UTG of Naples, and the relevant authorities and territorial administrations, according to the local and national civil protection plans and the risk knowledge elaborated by the Centres of Competence.
The assessment of transportation infrastructure and essential services. The Campania Region is also coordinating activities with the affected municipalities to assess and identify critical issues that need to be overcome to ensure the functionality of transportation infrastructure and other essential services and to support the updating of planning for bradyseism. By Resolution No. 7 of the Regional Council dated January 10, 2024, the "Urgent measures to verify the functionality of transportation infrastructure and other essential services" were approved.