Since Saturday, “more than 1,300 earthquakes have been recorded” on this volcanic island, more than a hundred of which have been felt by residents, according to a press release published on Wednesday by the Portuguese Meteorological Institute (IPMA).
The origin of this seismic activity, which has not caused any damage so far, “may be related to magma rise”, identifies the IPMA.
São Jorge, with a population of about 8,000, is one of the nine islands of the Azores archipelago, more than 1,600 kilometers from the Portuguese coast.
“We are facing a seismic volcanic crisis” that is raising fears of a “major earthquake” or “volcanic eruption,” Roy Marques, president of the Azores Seismo-Volcanic Information and Monitoring Center (CIVISA) explained in the daily Publico.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said that he is in constant contact with the President of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, Jose Manuel Boeliro, in order to follow the development of the situation.
On his Twitter account, Mr. Costa emphasized that Portugal “makes available all the means of a republic that will be necessary”.
São Jorge is about 54 km long and 8 km wide, forming a long volcanic mountain range that reaches a peak of more than 1,000 meters. It is part of the Pico and Faial islands of the central triangle of the archipelago.
The Portuguese island is famous for its “Vagas”, very fertile flat land areas, located at the foot of majestic cliffs, which jut out towards the ocean.
The last major earthquake in the Azores dates back to January 1, 1980. It had a magnitude of 6.9, killing 61 people, injuring about 300, and destroying thousands of homes in the archipelago.
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