The Mw 5, 2013 Matese earthquake epicentral area (southern Italy). New data on the earthquake ground effects and active tectonics framework

The Matese ridge area (southern Apennines) is located in one of the most seismically active sectors in Italy. On 29th December 2013, it was affected by a Mw=5 earthquake. In the Matese area, we are carrying out a study aimed at identifying and characterizing active faults at the surface through the integration of geomorphological, structural and soil gas data, and at outlining the ground effects of the 2013 earthquake. The new data indicate that the active fault system is more complex than previously assessed. In addition, our estimation of the epicentral intensity of the 2013 earthquake according to the ESI scale (Michetti et al., 2007) indicates that earthquakes of relatively low energy may trigger noticeable environmental hazards.