Vesuvio: Regione Campania Marks New Red Zone

The resolution that sets forth the new red zone 1 and the new red zone 2 of the Emergency Plan for Vesuvio has been published this morning in the Official Journal of Regione Campania.

Regional Minister Edoardo Cosenza explained: "Regione accepted the new “boundaries” of red zone 1 and red zone 2 of the Emergency Plan of the Vesuvio Area, as received upon decisions of the involved Municipalities (Naples, Palma Campania, Nola, San Gennaro Vesuviano, Poggiomarino) that approved relevant Municipal Council resolutions. The National Department of Civil Protection will handle the final deed, namely the approval of the new perimeter delimitation.

"By approving the new 1 and 2 red zones, we will have 700 thousand people, compared with the previous 550 thousand, to evacuate with a more precautionary scenario for the population.

"Concerning Naples, based on official data supplied by the Municipality, we have three new districts included in the plan, namely San Giovanni a Teduccio, Barra and Ponticelli, in red zone 1 for 15% of the territory and for a total amount of 38401 inhabitants.”

Regional Minister Edoardo Cosenza added: "The red zone 2 scenario has also been defined, as where it is possible to have roof collapsed due to ashes arrival in case of eruption. By studying upper winds and the resulting ash fall, the Municipalities detected are: Palma Campania, San Gennaro Vesuviano, Poggiomarino, Scafati.

"Concerning logistics in evacuation, Regione through the Campania Mobility Agency (ACAM) is developing its mobility Plan in case of evacuation: it has to be guaranteed within 72 hours. Moreover, our aim is to weld the big ring around Vesuvio with the Angri junction that connects SS 268 road of Vesuvio with the motorway: 54 million Euros of European resources will fund this project.”

Tender is already completed and the works will start by September. The Department is showing its interest on the occasion of the Conference of Regions, in agreements for town twinning among Municipalities to evacuate and other Italian regions. Currently, we have no signs of any imminent eruption or new findings of pyroclastic flow tracks. Philosophy has changed, since before we used to consider only scenarios from a sub-plinian eruption, and hence administrative limits directly; now, upon request also by Regione Campania, a “scientific” approach is being envisaged that does not necessarily match with administrative boundaries of Municipalities – he concluded.

New boundaries of red zone attached