“Biggest earthquake felt in Lisbon since 1969,” geophysicist says
An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale was felt in Portugal this Monday morning (August 26), followed by three aftershocks.
According to Portugal’s sea and atmosphere institute (IPMA), the epicentre was registered at 5.11am, with its epicentre 58 kilometres west of Sines and at a depth of 21 kilometres.
The quake was felt most intensely in Lisbon, Setúbal and Sines, although there are reports of it being felt as far as the Algarve and Porto and even Spain and Morocco.
No material damage or injuries have been reported as a result of the earthquake, and the national civil protection authority has denied the risk of tsunamis, which are only considered a serious possibility following earthquakes measuring at least 6 on the Richter scale. André Fernandes, commander of the civil protection authority, also confirmed that “no special plan” was activated due to the quake.
The Portuguese government has released a statement calling on the population to remain calm and follow the recommendations of the national civil protection authority, which has clarified that the earthquake was followed by three aftershocks measuring 1.2, 1.1 and 0.9 on the Richter scale.
Portugal’s president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is also in contact with the government and says he is monitoring the situation along with authorities.
This morning’s earthquake has been dubbed the “biggest felt in Lisbon since 1969” by a geophysicist and the former president of IPMA, Jorge Miguel Miranda, during an interview with Rádio Observador.
“This was a 5.3 magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale, in a very sensitive region for us, not only because it is close to the west coast of the mainland, but its location is south of another historic earthquake, from 1858, which caused a small tsunami in the Setúbal region,” the expert said.
