The response of the National Service
To provide an organic response to the ongoing bradyseismic crisis, with structural and nonstructural prevention measures, the government approved Decree-Law No. 140 of October 12, 2023, "Urgent measures for the prevention of seismic risk related to the bradyseism phenomenon in the Phlegraean Fields area," which was later converted into Law No. 183 of December 7, 2023.
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 of the Phlegraean Fields area. The analysis of the vulnerability of the built-up areas, the elaboration of an emergency plan dedicated to bradyseism, the definition of a communication plan to the population, and the assessment of the functioning of the transport infrastructure and other essential services are the major lines of activity in which the Civil Protection Department, the Campania Region and the Centers of Expertise 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 engaged, working closely with the affected municipalities and the metropolitan city of Naples. In addition, the decree-law includes strengthening the territorial civil protection operational response.
The vulnerability analysis plan for 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, which was identified as part of 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. A program to strengthen seismic and structure monitoring is also planned through integrating networks managed by the Ingv 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 to 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, focusing 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 Centers of Expertise.
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.