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Italy: Rome and Naples affected by ground collapses
In Italy, a hole appeared in the ground within seconds in a residential area of Rome, sweeping away two cars. The phenomenon is common in the country, in Rome but also in Naples. These cities are built on kilometers of galleries and cavities which date back to Antiquity.
(France 2)
In Italy, a hole appeared in the ground within seconds in a residential area of Rome, sweeping away two cars. The phenomenon is common in the country, in Rome but also in Naples. These cities are built on kilometers of galleries and cavities which date back to Antiquity.
A gaping hole is located in the heart of a residential area of Rome (Italy). It is eight meters wide and 13 meters deep. This hole appeared in a few seconds, taking two cars in the middle of the night, under the gaze of stunned residents. In one building, the entire facade close to the sinkhole had to be evacuated. The phenomenon is common in Italy, in Rome, but also in Naples last February. Naples was also affected in January 2021, when a hole appeared in the parking lot of a hospital. Luckily, there were no casualties.
Underground spaces subjected to severe tests
These cities are built on kilometers of galleries and cavities which date from Antiquity, and which are subjected to severe tests. “It may happen that some ancient underground passages have cracks. They experience city traffic, continuous vibrations, and the vault suddenly collapses along with everything above. And it’s even worse after very significant rain events”, explains Vincenzo Sapia, researcher at the INGV. The phenomenon is almost impossible to predict without a thorough examination of each of these underground passages.
